TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT........................................................................................................ii
COPY RIGHT....................................................................................................iii
AUTHORISATION............................................................................................iv
DEDICATIONS..................................................................................................v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...................................................................................vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS...................................................................................vii
LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................xii
LIST OF FIGURES..........................................................................................xiii
LIST OF ACRONYMS.....................................................................................xiv
OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS.......................................................................xv
CHAPTER ONE:................................................................................................1
1.0 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................1
vii
1.1 Background...................................................................................................................1
1.2 Statement of the problem..........................................................................................3
1.3 Purpose of the study...................................................................................................4
1.4.1 To determine the immediate factors that influence the prevalence of
malnutrition among children aged five years and below attending Ishaka
Adventist hospital in Busheny district...........................................................................5
1.4.2 To determine the underlying factors that influence the prevalence of
malnutrition among children aged five years and below attending Ishaka
Adventist hospital in Bushenyi district..........................................................................5
1.4.3 To determine the basic factors that influence the prevalence of
malnutrition among children aged five years and below attending Ishaka
Adventist hospital in Bushenyi district..........................................................................5
1.5 Research questions.................................................................................................5
1.6.0 Justification of the study.........................................................................................6
1.6.1 Nursing practice.......................................................................................................6
1.6.2 Nursing education..................................................................................................6
1.6.3 Nursing Research....................................................................................................6
1.6.4 Nursing Management.............................................................................................6
CHAPTER TWO:...............................................................................................8
LITERATURE REVIEW.....................................................................................8
1.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................8
viii
2.1 The immediate factors that influence the prevalence malnutrition among
children aged five years and below...............................................................................8
2.2 Underlying factors that influence the prevalence of malnutrition among
children aged five years and below.............................................................................10
2.2.1 Maternal factors:.....................................................................................................10
2.2.2 Child factors:...........................................................................................................15
2.3 Basic factors contributing to malnutrition among children under five years
17
CHAPTER THREE:.........................................................................................19
METHODOLOGY............................................................................................19
3.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................19
3.2 Study Design and Rationale...................................................................................19
3.1 Study Area and rationale.........................................................................................19
3.3 Study Population.......................................................................................................21
3.3.1 Sample Size Determination....................................................................21
3.3.2 The sampling method.............................................................................22
3.4 Selection criteria........................................................................................................22
3.4.1 Inclusion criteria......................................................................................................22
3.4.2 Exclusion Criteria...................................................................................22
ix
3. 5 Definition of variables..............................................................................................23
3.5.1 Dependent variables.............................................................................................23
3.5.2 Independent variable............................................................................................23
3.6 Study Tools/ Instruments......................................................................................23
3.7 Data Management.....................................................................................................23
3.8 Data Analysis and presentation.............................................................................24
3.9 Ethical consideration.................................................................................................24
3.10 Quality control techniques....................................................................................25
3.11 Study limitations......................................................................................................25
3.12 Dissemination of results........................................................................................25
CHAPTER FOUR:...........................................................................................26
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION.................................................................26
4.0 Introduction..................................................................................................................26
4.1 Socio-demographic factors that influence the prevalence of malnutrition
among children aged five years and below (n=50).................................................26
4.2 IMMEDIATE FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PREVERANCE OF
MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN AGED 5 YEARS AND BELOW...........30
4.3 UNDERLYING FACTEORS THAT INFLUENCE THE PREVANCE OF
MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN AGED FIVE YEARS AND BELOW....33
4.3 BASIC FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE PREVALENCE OF
MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN AGED FIVE YEARS AND BELOW....36
CHAPTER FIVE:.............................................................................................38
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
IN NURSING PRACTICE................................................................................38
x
5.0 Introduction..................................................................................................................38
5.1 socio-demographic factors associated with malnutrition among children
aged five years and below.............................................................................................38
5.1 Immediate factors associated with malnutrition among children aged five
years and below................................................................................................................40
5.2 Underlying factors contributing to malnutrition..................................................42
5.3 Basic factors contributing to malnutrition............................................................44
5.4 Conclusions.................................................................................................................44
5.5 Recommendations....................................................................................................45
5.6 IMPLICATIONS IN NURSING PRACTICE.........................................................46
REFERENCES................................................................................................47
Appoh, L.Y., and Krekling, S. (2010). Maternal nutritional knowledge and child
nutritional status in the Volta region of Ghana. Maternal and Child nutrition, 1,
100-110...........................................................................................................47
APPENDIX I: Consent form...........................................................................51
APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE...................................................................52
APPENDIX 111: INTRODUCTORY LETTER.................................................56
APPENDIX IV: A MAP OF UGANDA SHOWING BUSHENYI DISTRICT.....57
APPENDIX VI: MAP OF BUSHENYI DISTRICT SHOWING LOCATION OF
ISHAKA ADVENTIST HOSPITAL...................................................................58
ABSTRACT The study determined the factors influencing prevalence of malnutrition among children aged five and below at Ishaka Adventist Hospital. The objectives of the study were to determine immediate factors contributing to malnutrition among children aged five years and below, to determine the underlying factors contributing to malnutrition among children aged five years and below to determine the basic factors contributing to malnutrition among children aged five years and below attending Ishaka Adventist hospital (IAH) in Bushenyi district. A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted employing quantitative methods of data analysis in which data has been presented using tables, bar graphs and pie charts. The study mainly targeted children aged five years and below brought for seeking health services at IAH by their mothers or care givers. The study found out that poor breastfeeding techniques and childhood infections were majorly the immediate factors associated with malnutrition in children aged five and below, while failure to attend antennal care services, low birth weight and failure to have child immunized were underlying factors contributing to malnutrition as well as poor seasons being a basic factor leading to malnutrition. The study therefore concluded that unlike the perception that malnutrition means poor feeding, it is a broader hazard associated with a number of factors ranging from infections, child birth weight to immunization status of the child and therefore should be addressed in general without capitalizing on one factor. The study further recommends that a thorough health education and maternal child care education be emphasized if malnutrition is to be reduced because mothers are frontiers of nutrition in homes.
