An Investigation Into Factors Contributing To The Incidence Of Malnutrition Among Under Five-Year-Old Children In Bolgatanga Municipal Area In The Upper East Region Of Ghana Using Binary Logistics Regression Models.
Volume 2 - Issue 10, October 2018 Edition
[Download Full Paper]
Author(s)
Sylvester Alosum Anaba, Donatus Nyaaba, Abdul-Majeed Issahaku, Francis Atintono
Keywords
Binary Logistics Regression Analysis, Classification and regression trees Kwashiorkor, Malnutrition, Odd ratio, Stunting, Underweight, Wasting,
Abstract
This study was conducted with the objective of identifying some factors associated with the incidence of malnutrition and kwashiorkor among under-five year old children in the Bolgatanga municipality using Binary Logistics Regression and Classification and Regression Trees (CRT). The study collected data through a health screening exercise in 2017 at five Nutrition centres that serve as catchment to communities in Bolgatanga and its surroundings. A sample size of 151 was randomly selected from 386 children screened during the exercise. The data revealed that under-nutrition is higher among boys than girls. Boys under the ages of five years appeared to be more prone to underweight and wasting compared with girls. The age, body weight, height and marital status of mothers were found to contribute, to some extent, the incidence of malnutrition of under-five-year old children. Analysis from classification and regression tress also revealed that each of the fifteen explanatory variables in the data [except mother’s education level (Elevel)] appears to be contributory factors to the prevalence of malnutrition and/or the occurrence of kwashiorkor among under-five-year-olds in Bolgatanga municipality. Underweight, wasting and stunting which were found be the main indicators of kwashiorkor, are a result of poor or insufficient provision of food and/or exposure to diseases from poor environmental and health services in the municipality.
References
[1] Agyei-Mensah. S, 1999. “Infant Nutritional Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveysâ€, 1986-1998, Review Series vol.13 No. 2.
[2] Andrew, L and Dino, S, 2003. “Protein-Energy Malnutrition, the World Health Organisationâ€. Available from: http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic797htm [Accessed 13th September 2007]
[3] Awumbila, M. et al, 1999. “Promoting exclusive breastfeeding of children aged 0-59 months among mothers in the Bawku East District of Ghanâ€a. Research report submitted at Social Science and Medicine African Network (SOMA-NET), Nairobi, Kenya, p. 42-47.
[4] Blaikie, Norman W. H, 2000. “Designing Social Research: the Logic anticipationâ€. Polity Press, Cambridge
[5] Bolgatanga Municipal Health Administration, 2003. Nutritional Surveillance Report on Children under five years of age. “Supplementary Feeding Program, Baseline Survey for Mothers of Pre-school Childrenâ€. Ghana Health Service, Upper East Region.
[6] Hosmer, David W. and Stanley Lemeshow, 2000. “Applied Logistic Regressionâ€. John Wiley and Sons. Inc.
[7] De Onis. M, 2000. “Is Malnutrition Declining? An Analysis of Changes in Levels of Child Malnutrion Since 1980â€. Bulletin of the World Health Organisation, 78, 10, 1222-1233
[8] Donna, G. Grigsby, 2006. “Malnutritionâ€. Available from: http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic1360.htm. [Accessed 4th October 2007]
[9] Field, A, 2005. “Discovering Statistics Using SPSSâ€, 2nd edition. SAGE Publications, London.
[10] “FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations)â€, 1996. The Sixth World Food Survey. Rome
[11] Fyke, M. K., 2001. “The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, 2nd editionâ€. Farmington Hills M. L. Gale Group.
[12] Ghana Statistical Service, 1988, 1993, 1998 and 2003. “Ghana Demographic and Health Surveysâ€. Ghana Statistical Service, Accra- Ghana
[13] Ghana Statistical Service, 2000. “Ghana Living Standard Survey Report of the fourth Roundâ€. Ghana Statistical Service, Accra- Ghana.
[14] Goodman A, et al, 2000. “Ecological Model of Food and Nutritionâ€. Nutritional Anthropology-Biocultural Perspectives in Food and Nutrition, pp.156-174
[15] Graham, V., 1998. “Filling the Gap: Weaning Practices of Children Aged 0-2 in Western Metropolitanâ€, Melbourne.
[16] Hunter, J. M., 2003. “Inherited Burden of Disease. Agricultural Dams and Persistence of Blood Urine (Schistosomiasis hematouim) in the Upper East Region of Ghanaâ€, 1957-1997. Social science and medicine, 56, 2, 219-234.
[17] Kavishie, F., 1996. “Malnutrition in Childrenâ€. World Health Organisation International Children’s Publications, 85, 415-419.
[18] Lavy, V. et al, 1996. “Quality of health care, survival and health outcomes in Ghanaâ€. Journal of Health Economics, 15, 333-357.
[19] Lisa, C. S and Haddad, L., 2000. “Overcoming Child Malnutrition in Developing Countries: Past Achievements and Future Choicesâ€; International Food Policy Research Institute. Available from: http://www.ifpri.org/2020/briefs/number64.htm. [Accessed 6th October 2007]
[20] Marie, T. R., 1999. “Good Care Practices can Mitigate the Negative Effects of Poverty and low Maternal Schooling on Children’s Nutrition Status; Evidence from Accraâ€. World Development, 27, 11, 1993-2009.
[21] Maurice King et al, 1972. “Nutrition for Developing Countriesâ€, pp. 1.1-2.11
[22] Menard, Scott 2001. “Applied Logistic Regression Analysisâ€. Sage University Papers Series on Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences, 07-106. Thousand Oaks. CA: Sage.
[23] Muller, O. Krawinkel M, 2005. “Malnutrition and health in developing countriesâ€. CMAJ 173, 3, 279-86.
[24] Oppong, C., 1999. “Infant Entitlements and Babies Capabilities: Explaining Infant Hungerâ€. Research Review, New Series, 15, 2. Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.
[25] Presbyterian Primary Health Care, 2000, 2001, 2004 “Year Health Reportâ€, Bolgatanga, Upper East Region. Ghana.
[26] The World Health Organisation, 1992, 93, 94, 97 and 2004. “Annual Reports for Ghanaâ€. Geneva.
[27] Van de Poel, et al, 2006. “Malnutrition and Socioeconomic Gaps in Malnutrition in Ghanaâ€. Wider Conference paper. Available from: http://www.vandepoel-310806.pdf. [Accessed 3th October 2007]
[28] Williams, S. R., 1994. “Essentials Nutrition and Diet Therapy, 6th editionâ€. Mosby Year Book. Inc.