| dc.description.abstract | Background: The nutritional status of children is the best indicators of well being of children and to assess the national economic development as well as the public welfare policies.
Thus this study focuses on assessment of factors contributing to malnutrition among children under years at Nimule hospital nutrition unit, South Sudan in relation to malnutrition prevention in the families as well as the community at large.
Methods: It was a cross-sectional study where sample 100 mothers with children below five years of age in Nimule Hospital nutrition unit South Sudan as a single point time. Thus Simple random sampling was used to select mothers with children age below five years in Nimule Hospital nutrition unit South Sudan. During the study period the bed numbers of the mothers with children below five years of age was obtained and written on small pieces of paper, put in a box then drawn without replacement until the entire total sample size was reached. Reviewed recorded data of the child and structured interviews were used to collect data from the mothers then analyzed using excel and SPSS software. The data was interpreted and reported inform of table, pie charts and bar graphs.
Results: Of 100 respondents, 96 were able to provide valid responses and 4 failed to respond correctly. Among the admitted children, 43.75% were males and 56.25% females respectively. Of which 46.87% were delivered at home and 53.13% at health facility. 64.6% completed their immunization schedule. Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) with oedema accounted for 66.7% and Protein Energy Malnutrition without oedema was 33.3%. Nearly three quarter 71(74%) practiced farming as source of their income. 58.2 % claimed breastfed their children more than 12 months.
Conclusion: The findings revealed that the causes of under 5years malnutrition was due to poor income earning and lack of education because the results showed that majority did not know the causes and prevention of under 5 years children malnutrition. The results support promotion of education as a strategy to address under 5years malnutrition and increase income generating activity among women groups or association to boost their level of income as well as in men. | en_US |
