FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH STUNTING, WASTING AND UNDERWEIGHT AMONG CHILDREN AGED 2-5 YEARS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION CENTERS IN MASINGA SUB COUNTY, MACHAKOS COUNTY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ejhs.232Keywords:
stunting, wasting, underweight, early childhood development, education centersAbstract
Purpose: The main objective of this study was to determine factors associated with stunting, wasting and underweight among children aged 2-5 years in early childhood development and education centers in Masinga sub county, Machakos County.
Methodology: This was a descriptive cross sectional study. This study was conducted amongst 322 children in 15 randomly selected public early childhood development and education centers. Simple random sampling was used to select the children. Data was collected from mothers of children aged 24 to 59 months using pre-tested structured questionnaires and was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 10. Chis-square was used to measure the relationship between variables at p≤ 0.05. Data was then presented in frequencies, percentages, graphs and tables.
Results: Factors such as socio-economic characteristics, environmental and health characteristics of children, among others, were found to be having some form of associations with stunting, wasting and underweight. The following variables had significant relationship; mother’s religion with wasting p= 0.111, age of the child with stunting p= 0.033 and underweight p= 0.038, level of the ECDE with stunting p= 0.034 and underweight p= 0.038, sex of the child with stunting p= 0.021, underweight p= 0.032 and wasting p= 0.012 and availability of the toilet with underweight p= 0.024.
Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Stunting, wasting and underweight among children aged 2-5 years continue to be a major public health concern that needs concerted efforts from a multi-sectoral approach to at least reduce the impact associated with the same. Factors such as age of the child, level of the ECDE, sex and environment, among others, are some of the main contributors to stunting, wasting and underweight among children. There is need for Machakos County government to implement a county nutrition integrated program with a community-based nutrition component that is linked to education, health, water and sanitation, and other relevant partners.
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