The high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections is associated with stunting among children aged 6–59 months in Boricha Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Prior studies reported controversial results about the association between intestinal parasitic infections and childhood under-nutrition. We investigated the association of intestinal parasitic infections with under-nutrition among children aged 6–59 months in Boricha Woreda, Southern Ethiopia. Methods This community-based prospective cross-sectional study was carried out from January 1–30, 2019 among 622 children aged 6–59 months. A two-stage stratified sampling procedure was used. Data were collected using a structured, face-to-face interviewer-administered questionnaire and standard anthropometric measurements. The stool specimens were collected using standard technique and examined for the existence and species of intestinal parasites using direct wet mount, Kato Katz and staining technique. We have entered data using Epi Data 3.1 and WHO Anthro software and all analyses were conducted using SPSS version 20. The descriptive analyses were done to find descriptive measures for the socio-demographic and other important variables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with under-nutrition. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed to assess the presence and strength of associations. Results The total prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 48.7% (95% CI, 44.77–52.62). Approximately one-fourth (22%) of the children were infected with moderate intensity infections. Prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting were 39.3, 24 and 11.6%, respectively. The prevalence of stunting among children infected with the intestinal parasite (59.4%) was significantly higher than the prevalence in non-infected children (20.6%) ( p < 0.001). The absence of sanitation facility, living in medium and large family size, lack of shoes wearing practice, consuming raw vegetables and fruits were positively associated with intestinal parasitic infections. The presence of intestinal parasitic infections was positively associated with stunting (AOR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.36–3.50) but not with wasting (AOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.3–1.13) and underweight (AOR: 0.92, 95% CI = 0.55–1.54). Conclusions Under-nutrition and intestinal parasitic infections were serious public health concerns. Consolidating the prevailing water, sanitation and hygiene packages and routine deworming of children aged 6–59 months may aid to decrease the burden of both stunting and intestinal parasitic infection in children. Also, improving modern contraceptive methods utilization to reduce family size is recommended.

Stunting and Associated Factors among Under-Five-Age Children in West Guji Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

“…Mothers who had not vaccinated their children also may be related with poor child care and feeding practice due to less access to mass media and to appropriate messages and campaigns on heath and vaccines. is needs A child from poor wealth status and severely food insecure households was shorter for their age or stunted compared with their counterparts, similarly reported from Arba Minch, Southern Ethiopia [13], Dabat, Ethiopia, and Boricha District, Southern Ethiopia [18].…”

“…is community-based cross-sectional study revealed that the prevalence of stunting among under-five-age children was (31.8%) with 95% CI (28.6-35.2), and they scored a z-score below −2 SD or are short for their age. Out of the study participants, 11.9% were severely stunted and 19.9% were moderately stunted which is lower than the national prevalence of 37% of children under 5 who are short for their age or stunted (below −2 SD) from the 2019 EMDHS [11], 39.3% in Boricha Woreda/District, Southern Ethiopia [18], 47.9% in Arba Minch, Southern Ethiopia [13], 43.9% in Democratic Republic of Congo [19], 37% in Nepal [20], and 43.2% in Bangladesh [21]. is difference might be sociodemographic factors, low awareness, and other seasonal and cultural differences in ways of traditional food preparations among the study population [22].…”

Increasing Mothers’ Knowledge of Infant and Young Child Feeding through Booklets in Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

“…The health and well-being of productive mothers in the household needs an understanding of their parental practices and nutritional status. As a consequence, education is required to modify actions to increase maternal and child welfare [5], [6], [7], [31]. Poverty alleviation, women's empowerment, and household feeding services can all be effective methods for reducing childhood malnutrition [32].…”

“…Poverty alleviation, women's empowerment, and household feeding services can all be effective methods for reducing childhood malnutrition [32]. Improving modern contraceptive methods utilization to reduce family size is recommended [7]. A study by Utami et al (2020) showed a significant correlation between family characteristics and nutritional parenting with the occurrence of stunting in children under five in South Jakarta.…”

“…A dynamic interplay of infant, maternal, household, environmental, and socioeconomic factors affecting nutritional intake influences optimal growth and development in early childhood [4]. Study showed that stunting prevalence has positive associations to mother with ≥2 children [5], family size [6], and living in medium and large family size [7], and multiple births [8]. At the household level, children from families with two or more children under the age of five were found to have a higher risk of stunting [9].…”