TABLE OF CONTENTS
APPROVAL .............................................................................................................................................. ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT......................................................................................................................... iii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS..................................................................................................................... v
TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................... vi
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................viii
1.1 Problem Statement ...............................................................................................................................2
1.3 Purpose of the study .............................................................................................................................3
1.4 Objective of the study...........................................................................................................................3
1.4.1 General objective...............................................................................................................................3
1.4.2 Specific Objectives............................................................................................................................3
1.5 Research questions ...............................................................................................................................3
1.6 Significance of the study.......................................................................................................................4
1.7 Scope of the Study................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................................................................5
2.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................5
2.1The prevalence of malnutrition among children under five years............................................................5
2.2 Socio demographic factors associated with malnutrition........................................................................6
2.2.1 Child related factors of under-five malnutrition..................................................................................6
2.2.2 Sex of child .......................................................................................................................................6
2.2.3 Birth Order ........................................................................................................................................7
2.2.4 Birth Interval .....................................................................................................................................8
2.2.5 Mothers age at birth...........................................................................................................................8
2.2.6 Maternal factors of malnutrition among under-five children ...............................................................9
2.2.7 Maternal Education............................................................................................................................9
2.2.8 Marital Status....................................................................................................................................9
2.2.9 Mothers occupation ......................................................................................................................... 10
2.3Other factors leading of malnutrition ................................................................................................... 10
2.3.1 Maternal factors............................................................................................................................... 11
2.3.2 Antenatal Coverage ......................................................................................................................... 11
2.3.3Pre pregnancy weight ....................................................................................................................... 11
2.3.5 Child factors.................................................................................................................................... 11
vii
2.3.5.1Low birth weight ........................................................................................................................... 11
2.3.5.2Exclusive breast feeding ................................................................................................................ 12
2.3.5.3Immunization and nutritional status among under five children ...................................................... 12
CHAPTER THREE.................................................................................................................................. 14
METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................................... 14
3.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 14
3.1 Study area .......................................................................................................................................... 14
3.2 Study design....................................................................................................................................... 14
3.3 Sample Size determination ................................................................................................................. 15
3.4 Study population ................................................................................................................................ 15
3.5 The sampling method ......................................................................................................................... 15
3.6 Inclusion and exclusion criteria........................................................................................................... 15
3.7 Data collection method ....................................................................................................................... 16
3.8 Data Analysis and presentation ........................................................................................................... 16
3.9 Expected study limitations.................................................................................................................. 16
3.10 Data quality control .......................................................................................................................... 16
3.11 Ethical Consideration........................................................................................................................ 16
CHAPTER FOUR: STUDY FINDINGS .................................................................................................. 18
4.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 18
Study findings. ......................................................................................................................................... 18
PART I: Socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. ................................................................ 18
PART II: Prevalence of malnutrition in children under five years. ............................................................ 20
PART III: Socio-demographic factors associated with malnutrition among children under five years........ 21
4.3 Other factors that lead to malnutrition among children under five years attending Ishaka Adventist
hospital. ............................................................................................................................................... 24
CHAPTER FIVE...................................................................................................................................... 28
5.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 28
5.1 Discussion.......................................................................................................................................... 28
5.1.1 Prevalence of malnutrition among children under five years........................................................... 28
5.1.3 Other factors associated with malnutrition among children under five years.................................... 29
REFERENCE........................................................................................................................................... 31
APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................................... 35
APPENDIX I: RESEARCH BUDGET..................................................................................................... 35
ABSTRACT Malnutrition is a broad term commonly used as an alternative to under nutrition but technically it also refers to over nutrition (UNICEF, 2012). People are malnourished if their diet does not provide adequate calories and protein for growth and maintenance or they are unable to fully ix utilize the food they eat due to illness (under nutrition). They are also malnourished if they consume too many calories (over nutrition). A descriptive cross sectional study was used for children under five years who were attending Ishaka Adventist Hospital. A random sampling method was used among 150 children under five attending Ishaka Adventist Hospital Results Out of 150 children that were enrolled in the study, it was found that a total of 6(4%) were severely wasted ie MUAC 13.5cm. From the study out of 150 children that were enrolled in the study, it was found that a total of 6(4%) were severely wasted, 13(8.7%) of them were moderately wasted, 131(87.3%) of them were found to be normal. Conclusions. On prevalence, the study concludes that Bushenyi in which Ishaka Adventist Hospital is located has a high malnutrition level given that from the study 12.7% and 14.7% were wasted and stunted respectively as compared to UBOS findings that indicate 6% and 1l% to be wasted and stunted respectively in Uganda. The study also concludes that the children age of 1 to 2 years are the most affected by malnutrition followed by those between two to five years accessed on basis of wasting and stunted growth. 5.3 Recommendations Mothers should be encouraged to breast feed their babies exclusively up to 6 months and breast feeding should go on up to at least 18 months.
