| dc.description.abstract | The research was based on the factors contributing to malnutrition of under five-year children in Uganda for which a cross-sectional research design was utilized. It was guided by three objectives of the study which were; to determine the effects of socio-economic factors on children under five malnutrition in Uganda, investigate the effect of bio demographic factors on children under five malnutrition in Uganda and lastly to determine the effect of cultural factors on children under five malnutrition in Uganda. The study utilized secondary data that was collected during the 2016 Uganda demographic health survey. The data was analyzed at univariate, bivariate and multivariate levels. The Univariate analysis consisted of descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to test a statistically significant relationship between the dependent and the dependent variable at a 5% level of significance. Binary logistic regression was utilized to determine the effect of socio-economic factors, biodemographic factors and cultural factors on the nutrition status of children under-five in Uganda.
From the study, it was notable Children from low-income wealth index households were more likely to be malnourished than children from middle and high wealth index households. Children under five years of mothers with no education were more likely to be malnourished than children with mothers with at least primary education. Children from underweight mothers were more likely to have malnourished children than children from mothers with normal or obese weight. Children under five with 7-24 months and 24+ months of breastfeeding were less likely to be nourished than children who had 0-6 months of breastfeeding.
The study recommends that, the health ministry should carry out campaigns, advertisements and general advocacy, for instance, increased birth interval through family planning and the prolonged duration of breastfeeding. Additionally, the government could collaborate with the private sector to ensure that nursing mothers are given slightly more weeks for their maternity leaves. Furthermore, the government through the policy makers should continue providing the adequate facilities like therapeutic feeding units, maintaining the equipment, supplying drugs and providing adequate staff and the governments should also increase funding for healthcare specifically, they should increase allocation for dieticians and nutritionists stationed at health facilities and at the community levels through VHT. | en_US |
