Socio-demographic correlates of childhood malnutrition in a rural community in Southwest Nigeria - A call for targeted interventions for vulnerable children

BACKGROUND: Nigeria has the second-highest burden of stunted children globally. Yet, only two out of ten malnourished Nigerian children benefit from intervention programs to address malnutrition. This study describes some socio-demographic factors associated with malnutrition among children living in a rural community in Southwest Nigeria. METHODS: This study was a community-based cross-sectional study involving 364 children randomly selected from their homes aged 1–15 years. Factors such as socioeconomic status, birth order, and whether the mother was alive were obtained. Weights, heights, and body mass index (BMI) were measured and interpreted using the WHO z-scores. Chi-squared test of associations was used for categorical variables and an independent t-test was used to compare the mean BMI between both genders. The level of significance was set at a p-value <0.050. RESULTS: There were 185 (51%) females: 173(48%) belonged to the age group 1–5 years and 168 (46%) belonged to the lower socio-economic class. Over 80% of the participants had normal nutritional status: 19 (6%) were underweight, 36 (10%) were stunted, and 29 (8%) were thin (low BMI, <-2SD). Maternal demise was associated with thinness. Males from lower socio-economic classes and first-born males had a higher mean BMI than the females (p<0.050). CONCLUSION: Although malnutrition prevalence was low, there is a need to use targeted interventions to further reduce malnutrition among vulnerable children. There is also a necessity for more studies to identify and address the risk factors for stunting in the study area

Paediatric brought-in-dead at a tertiary health facility in South western Nigeria: Patterns and drivers

Background: ‘Brought- in-dead’ (BID) refers to the demise of an individual before presentation to a health facility. This study assessed the pattern of paediatric BID cases seen at a tertiary health facility in southwest Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was done at the Children Emergency Ward (CEW) of the hospital between January 2014 and December 2018. The patterns of BID cases and presumed causes of death were determined using a standardized checklist adapted from the WHO verbal autopsy instrument. Results: Ninety-eight BID cases were seen during the study, constituting 2.5% of total patients seen during the period. The median (IQR) age of cases was 24.0 (8.75 – 63.0) months and 72.4% were under-fives. Most had symptoms related to the haematologic (36.7%), respiratory (24.5%) or digestive (20.4%) systems. Severe anaemia 31(31.6%), gastroenteritis 19 (19.4) and aspiration 17 (17.3%) were the most common causes of death. The median (IQR) duration of illness before presentation was 3.0 (1.0 – 7.0) days but most presented from 4 – 7 days of illness. A significant relationship was found between the duration of illness and whether or not pre-hospital treatment was received (p < 0.0001). Unprescribed drugs purchased over the counter were the most commonly used treatment in 79.1% of cases (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This study has highlighted the prevalence and pattern of paediatric BID in a tertiary health facility in southwest Nigeria and the factors that were associated with it. More efforts need to be geared towards community sensitization and pediatric health care to prevent factors drivingits menace