PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF WASTING AMONG CHILDREN AGED 6-59 MONTHS IN WOLKITE TOWN OF GURAGE ZONE, SNNPR, ETHIOPIA, 2020

Abstract

Background: Acute malnutrition (wasting) is characterized by a rapid deterioration in nutritional status over a short period of time in children under five years of age. In children, it can be measured using the weight for-height nutritional index or MUAC.Majority of the studies conducted in Ethiopia have focused on studying in the whole broad forms of malnutrition. However, data are scarce concerning specified acute undernutrition. Therefore, this study significantly bridges the knowledge gap on the subject. Objective: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of wasting among children from six months to fifty-nine months in Wolkite town, South Nation Nationalities and people region, Ethiopia 2020/2021. Methods: A community based cross sectional study design was conducted from December 20- January 32020/2021and simple random sampling method was used to select Kebeles thenby using Systematic random sampling we selected 301 study participants from 2618 Households in every 9 intervals.Data was collected using pretested, interviewer administered questionnaire. Data entry and analysis weremade by using Epi info and SPSS version 26. Both bivariate (at p value <0.25) and multi variate analysis with 95% confidence level was carried out and those variables (P< 0.05) were considered as statistically significant. Results:The prevalence of wasting among children aged from 6-59 months in the study participants was 14.7%. Among several factors that would affect the occurrence of wasting, age of children, educational status of the mother/care giver, and diarrheal disease in the past two weeks prior to data collection, and hand washing practice of the mother were found to be significantly associated factors. Conclusion and Recommendation:Depending on facts of the study, it can be concluded that; child wasting problem is highly observed in Menaheriya Kebele. The prevalence’s of wasting in the study area was the same but slightly excised EDHS, 2016 report. It can be concluded that most households were in low economic status, illiterate, and poor child caring practice. Therefore, it is a time to tickle child undernourishment, which is a silent killer of the community.