TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT...............................................................................................................................................i
COPYRIGHT PAGE………………………………………………………………………………........ii
DECLARATION………………………………………………………………………………………..iii
AUTHORIZATION..................................................................................................................................v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................................................................vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................................................viii
LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................................................xii
LIST OF FIGURES ...............................................................................................................................xiii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS................................................................................................................xiv
CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of the study .....................................................................................................................1
1.2 Problem Statement ..............................................................................................................................3
1.3Objectives of the study.........................................................................................................................5
1.3.1 General Objective ........................................................................................................................5
1.4 Research questions..............................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................................................................7
LITERATURE REVIEW .........................................................................................................................7
2.1Introduction..........................................................................................................................................7
ix
2.2 Demographic factors that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition. ..................................................7
2.3 Socio-economic factor that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition............................................... 14
2.4 Cultural factors that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition.......................................................... 16
CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................................... 19
METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................... 19
3.1Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 19
3.2 Study design and rational.................................................................................................................. 19
3.3Study setting and rational................................................................................................................... 19
3.4Study population ................................................................................................................................ 20
3.4.1Sample size determination .............................................................................................................. 20
3.4.2 Sampling Procedure ....................................................................................................................... 20
3.4.3Inclusion and exclusion criteria ...................................................................................................... 21
3.5Definition of variables ....................................................................................................................... 21
3.6 Research instruments ........................................................................................................................ 21
3.6.1 Data collection methods................................................................................................................. 21
3.6.2Data Collection Tools ..................................................................................................................... 21
3.7Data collection procedure .................................................................................................................. 22
3.7.2 Data Analysis and Presentation...................................................................................................... 22
3.8Ethical Considerations ....................................................................................................................... 22
3.9Limitations to the study ..................................................................................................................... 22
3.10 Dissemination of results.................................................................................................................. 23
x
CHAPTER FOUR................................................................................................................................... 24
PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS ......................................................................................................... 24
4.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 24
4.1 Demographic factors that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition among children below 5 years at
Itojo hospital in Ntungamo. .................................................................................................................... 24
4.2 Socio-economic factor that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition............................................... 27
4.3 To find out cultural factors that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition........................................ 30
CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................................ 35
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................... 35
5.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 35
5.1 Discussion of findings....................................................................................................................... 35
5.1.1 Demographic factors that contribute to the occurrence of malnutrition among children below 5
years at Itojo hospital in Ntungamo. ....................................................................................................... 35
5.1.2 Socio-economic factor that contribute to the occurrence of malnutrition...................................... 37
5.1.3 To find out cultural factors that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition..................................... 39
5.2 Conclusions....................................................................................................................................... 40
5.3 Recommendations............................................................................................................................. 41
5.4 Implication to Nursing Practice ........................................................................................................ 42
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 43
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................................ 49
APPENDIX I: CONSENT FORM.......................................................................................................... 49
APPENDIX II: QUESTIONARE ........................................................................................................... 50
ABSTRACT The study was aimed at assessing the factors that have contributed the occurrence of malnutrition among children below five years in pediatric ward Itojo hospital, Ntungamo District, Uganda. The specific objectives of the study were; to find out demographic factors that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition, assess socio-economic factor that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition and to describe the cultural factors that contribute to occurrence of malnutrition. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used where both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied. This was used to get information from 100 mothers records from Itojo Hospital of children diagnosed with malnutrition under the age of five years from Ntungamo district and simple random sampling was used. The study consider only mothers who had children below 5years of age and those of children with more than 5 years were not considered. And the data was collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using Microsoft Excel to come up with graphs, pie-charts and tables. The study findings revealed that mothers’ age at birth has a great impact on the health of the child. Malnutrition and stunting as the study indicates that 42% of the mothers with malnourished children were aged between 25 – 29 years. Findings further indicate that occupation of the mother had a great impact of the malnutrition of the child as more than a half 56% of the mothers with malnourished children were causal laborers and 20% were peasants. The socio-economic status of the mothers / family was found to be the major factor determining malnutrition of children. It was found out that mothers who are educated with good jobs, have much knowledge about the nutrition of mothers during pregnancy, have good health seeking behaviors and vice versa. Cultural beliefs were also reported to have an impact on the malnutrition of the children as there are some foods that mothers were not allowed to eat due to ii different perceptions which lead to malnutrition in mothers and giving birth to malnourished children and some mothers still giving birth from homes by the help of the TBAs. Mothers sanitation was poor 18% had no toilets at home, 21% never washed their hands after visiting the toilet/ latrines. 44% did not hands before feeding the baby. The study concluded by recommending government and health workers should sensitive people about the importance of immunization since it was found out that some people still have poor perception about immunization. The government should and the area health inspector should enforce a toilet/ latrine in every household.