Prevalence and Determinants of Malnutrition Among Public Primary School Children 6-14yrs in Bor Town, Republic of South Sudan

Abstract

In developing countries particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, child malnutrition continues to be a public health concern and main contributor to the global burden of disease. School-aged children continue to be a neglected category and rarely involved in nutritional assessment despite the effect of malnutrition on their cognitive and physical abilities. Levels of undernutrition are high in areas affected by hunger and conflicts. The known prevalence of malnutrition in South Sudan based on a study conducted in Akuak Rak region in 2012 was 73% which is quite high. This highlights the need to understand the current prevalence, nutritional status and determinants of malnutrition among primary school children in other parts of the country. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of acute malnutrition as measured using mid-upper arm circumference of school children aged six to fourteen years in Bor town and further describe nutritional status using anthropometric measures (the WAZ, WHZ-and HAZ scores) and estimate the risk factor associated with malnutrition among these age group. Methods: Study utilized cross-sectional design. Stratified multi-stage random sampling technique used to sample 303 students in four public primary schools in Bor Town. A semi- structured questionnaire was used in data collection. The data analysis included both descriptive and inferential analysis. Prevalence of malnutrition was measured using the Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) while (-2SD Z score cut off for WAZ, WHZ-and HAZ was used in assessing nutritional status. The WHO 2007 ANTHROPAC software were used to aid in the conversion of age, height and weight of the respondents based on weight for age, weight for height and height for age which represent different measurements of underweight, stunting and wasting. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 25) was used in Data analysis. Level of significance was measured at 0.05...............................................................................................