Abstract

Background: Malnutrition is one of the major public health problems in Africa and other developing nations and major contributors to the global disease burden. Globally, approximately 151 million children under 5 suffer from stunting. These children begin to face learning difficulties in school, do not reach their full growth potential, and face barriers to participate the activities in their communities. The effects of stunting continue in adulthood, with reduced work capacity and, in women, increased risk of mortality during childbirth and adverse birth outcomes. Stunting is the overwhelming result of poor nutrition in early childhood. Children suffering from stunting may never attain their full possible height and their brains may never develop to their full cognitive potential.

Objective: Prevalence of indicators of malnutrition and associated factors among public primary school children in hargeisa, Somaliland

Methods: School based cross-sectional study was conducted among primary school children in Hargeisa, Marodi Jeh Region. A total of 482 children were randomly selected from public primary schools. Data was collected from 30 March to 5 May, 2019 using interviewer administered questionnaire. Descriptive analyses such as percentages and frequencies were used to describe the study participants. Bi-variate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to isolate independent predictors of malnutrition among public primary school children in Hargeisa.

Results: A total of 482 primary school children participated in the study. More than half (56.2%) study participants were females. Most of the respondents 55.2% were in the age group of 8-10 years. The prevalence of stunting, underweight and thinness were 10.8%, 19.7% and 39.2%, respectively.

Family size and age category were significantly associated with stunting. Having family members between 9-10 members were 0.274 times more likely to be stunted compared to those family members less than nine members [(AOR = 0.274 95%CI = 0.082 - 0.919)], where children whose age group between ten to eleven years were 2.19 times higher in stunting compared the other age groups. [(AOR = 2.19) 95%CI = 0.923 - 5.204)].

Mothers’ occupation was significantly associated with underweight. Children whose mothers are civil servants were 0.121 times more likely to be underweight compared to those house wives and merchants (AOR = 0.121 (95%CI = 0.019 - 0.7)]. Being a female (AOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.349; 2.91, p < 0.005) and having civil servant mother (AOR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.077; 1.782, p < 0.005) were significantly associated with thinness

Conclusion: The prevalence of some indicators of malnutrition was found to be high. Thinness and underweight was highly prevalent compared to stunting. Mothers’ occupation was significantly associated with underweight; sex and mothers’ occupation were significantly associated with thinness where family size and age category were significant associated with stunting.

Keywords: Malnutrition; Primary School; Children; Somaliland

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