TY - JOUR
T1 - Examining the Effect of Geographic Region of Residence on Childhood Malnutrition in Uganda
AU - Amegbor, Prince M.
AU - Yankey, Ortis
AU - Sabel, Clive E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s) [2020]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: [email protected].
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - Objectives: In our study, we examine how geographic region of residence may predict childhood malnutrition, expressed as stunting, wasting and underweight, among children under the age of 5 years in Uganda. Methods: Using data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, we performed an incremental multivariate multilevel mixed-effect modelling to examine the effect of a child, parental and household factors on the association between region of residence and each indicator of childhood malnutrition. Results: Approximately 28%, 3% and 9% of children under age 5 suffered from stunting, wasting and underweight, respectively. The bivariate result shows that the proportion of children suffering from stunting and underweight was relatively lower in the Kampala region compared with the other regions. With the exception of the Northern region (6.44%), wasting was higher (4.12%) among children in the Kampala region. Children in the other regions were more likely to experience stunting and underweight. When controlling for child, parent and household factors, children in the other regions were less likely to suffer from underweight and stunting, compared with those in Kampala region. Children in the other regions, except the Northern region, were less likely to be wasted compared with those in Kampala region. Conclusion: Our finding suggests that child, parental and household characteristics have effects on the association between region of residence and childhood malnutrition. Addressing individual and household socioeconomic disparities may be vital in tackling regional differences in childhood malnutrition.
AB - Objectives: In our study, we examine how geographic region of residence may predict childhood malnutrition, expressed as stunting, wasting and underweight, among children under the age of 5 years in Uganda. Methods: Using data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, we performed an incremental multivariate multilevel mixed-effect modelling to examine the effect of a child, parental and household factors on the association between region of residence and each indicator of childhood malnutrition. Results: Approximately 28%, 3% and 9% of children under age 5 suffered from stunting, wasting and underweight, respectively. The bivariate result shows that the proportion of children suffering from stunting and underweight was relatively lower in the Kampala region compared with the other regions. With the exception of the Northern region (6.44%), wasting was higher (4.12%) among children in the Kampala region. Children in the other regions were more likely to experience stunting and underweight. When controlling for child, parent and household factors, children in the other regions were less likely to suffer from underweight and stunting, compared with those in Kampala region. Children in the other regions, except the Northern region, were less likely to be wasted compared with those in Kampala region. Conclusion: Our finding suggests that child, parental and household characteristics have effects on the association between region of residence and childhood malnutrition. Addressing individual and household socioeconomic disparities may be vital in tackling regional differences in childhood malnutrition.
KW - geographic residence
KW - socioeconomic factors
KW - stunting
KW - Uganda
KW - underweight
KW - wasting
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096184084&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/tropej/fmaa019
DO - 10.1093/tropej/fmaa019
M3 - Article
C2 - 32791526
AN - SCOPUS:85096184084
SN - 0142-6338
VL - 66
SP - 598
EP - 611
JO - Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
JF - Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
IS - 6
ER -