Treatment outcomes and associated factors among infants under 6-Month-Old with severe acute malnutrition in Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Infants under the age of six months are considered to have severe acute malnutrition if their weight for length Z-score is below -3 standard deviations (SD) and/or they exhibit bilateral pitting edema. It is frequently diagnosed in infants under 6 months of age and is frequently associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality in infants than in older children. The current study aimed to assess the treatment outcome of severe acute malnutrition and associated factors among infants under 6 months of age in Hawassa Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, southern Ethiopia

Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out in September to November 2021. Between September 2007 and October 2021, a total of 261 records were evaluated. After the data was collected, it was input into EPI-data version 31 and then exported to STATA version 16 for analysis. Before exporting anthropometry data to Stata, Z scores of anthropometric measurements were calculated using WHO Anthro V3.2.2 software.

Results: Our study included 261 infants with severe acute malnutrition who were admitted, the outcomes were: cure, default, transfer out, non-respondent, death, and unknown and the rates were 57.2%, 11.5%, 9.2%, 4.2%, 14.2%, and 3.8% respectively. Gestational age, pneumonia, Pre-lacteal feeding, and tuberculosis were significantly associated with mortality.

Conclusion: The mortality of malnutrition was high in this study. While administering treatment for severe acute malnutrition to infants younger than 6 months, attention should be paid to infants who have pneumonia and tuberculosis. Counseling on the risk of Pre-lacteal feeding through health education is necessary