Complex Multilevel Modelling of the Individual, Household and Regional Level Variability in Predictors of Undernutrition among Children Aged 6-59 Months in Ethiopia.
Worldwide, ten and a half million children under five die every year, with 98% of these deaths in low- and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Undernutrition is a serious public health problem in Ethiopia and children are the most affected segments of the population. This study, therefore, sought to investigate the socio-economic, demographic, health and environmental factors associated with undernutrition among children aged 6-59 months in Ethiopia. Data were obtained from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. In this study, anthropometric data (height and weight) and other variables of 9461 children were measured. Descriptive statistics and multilevel logistic regression models were fitted. The descriptive results revealed that about 27.5% of the children aged between 6-59 months were undernourished. Place of residence, employment status of the mother, educational status of the mother, the mother's nutritional status, age of the child, birth order of children, source of drinking water, diarrhea and fever among children in the two weeks before the survey were the most important factors associated with undernutrition among children aged 6-59 months in Ethiopia. The findings indicate that it is useful to support health care and food security programs in rural areas to directly address food insecurity and undernutrition problems of the poor and exposed communities in rural parts of the country. The education sector must increase mothers' access to education in all areas to help identify the quality of healthcare and the required attention needed for their children. The health sector should increase their health education programs on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.
['Chikako|Teshita Uke|TU|0000-0002-1324-2135', 'Seidu|Abdul-Aziz|AA|0000-0001-9734-9054', 'Hagan|John Elvis|JE|0000-0003-3530-6133', 'Ahinkorah|Bright Opoku|BO|']
D000367:Age Factors D001722:Birth Order D002675:Child, Preschool D004522:Educational Status D005002:Ethiopia D005191:Family Characteristics D005260:Female D006304:Health Status D006801:Humans D007223:Infant D008297:Male D044342:Malnutrition D009035:Mothers D009752:Nutritional Status D012111:Residence Characteristics D012307:Risk Factors D012424:Rural Population D012959:Socioeconomic Factors D014881:Water Supply
multilevel children Ethiopia DHS malnutrition