Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T14:04:35.989Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status, socioeconomic factors and mortality in hospitalized children in Addis Ababa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

W. G. F. Groenewold  and
M. Tilahun
W. G. F. Groenewold
Affiliation:
Demographic Training and Research Centre, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
M. Tilahun
Affiliation:
Ethio-Swedish Children's Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The influence of some household and maternal variables on three anthropometric nutritional status indices of hospitalized children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, are examined. On admission, only 30% of these children can be classified as being of a normal overall nutritional status. There are no significant differences in weight-for-age of hospitalized children between those residing in Addis Ababa and those residing in the rural areas. Income and father's occupation appear to be the major household factors influencing the level of two of the three indices (weight-for-age and weight-for-height). Length of last closed birth interval and, to a lesser degree, maternal age appear to have significant effects on all three nutritional status indices. Upon admission to hospital, children who will in the end survive their hospital stay are on average nutritionally normal or in a mild state of malnutrition, whereas children who will die during their stay arrive in a moderate or severe state of malnutrition. The degree of malnutrition is positively related to the risk of mortality in respiratory disease patients.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , July 1990 , pp. 373 - 379
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alemu, B. (1987) Some Commonly Practised Nutritional Taboos in Ethiopia and Their Impact on the Health and Development of Women and Young Children. Ethiopian Nutritional Institute, Addis Ababa.Google Scholar
Central Statistical Authority (1987) Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia, 1985. Analytical Report on Results for Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa.Google Scholar
Ewbank, D. (1985) Health in Africa. In: The State of African Demography. IUSSP, Liège.Google Scholar
Martorell, R. & Ho, T. C. (1984) Malnutrition, morbidity and mortality. Popul. Dev. Rev. (Supplement) 10, 49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Selassie, A. G. et al. (1985) Harmful Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children in Ethiopia. Ministry of Health, Ethiopia/UNICEF.Google Scholar
UNICEF (1988) Statistics on Children in UNICEF Assisted Countries. UN, New York.Google Scholar