Prevalence and Associated Factors for Protein Energy Malnutrition in Children below 5 Years Admitted at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital
The number of malnourished children in Busoga is on the increase as shown by records atJinja Referral Hospital have shown. Four (4) out of the ten (10) children admitted to thehospital are severely malnourished. To combat the problem of protein-energy malnutritionin this community, risk factors associated with it must be identified. A quantitative crosssectionstudy approach was conducted in order to determine the factors influencingmalnutrition among children under five years visiting the paediatric ward at JRRH. The studywas conducted among children under five years visiting the pediatric ward at Jinja RegionalReferral Hospital, with 150 respondents considered. Data was collected through a researcheradministeredquestionnaire specifically tailored to meet the objectives of the study andsupported by anthropometric measurements and clinical evaluation and diagnoses. Thedemographic features of participants included females (58%) and males (42%). About 48% ofthe under-fives admitted to the paediatric ward at the hospital were aged between 13 and 36months, followed by those above 36 months (38%) and the least were 12 months and below(14%). The prevalence of PEM was 16% with children aged between 13– 36months contributingthe highest cases of PEM (56%). The Children who had not been fully immunized were foundassociated with increased cases of PEM. A child’s immunization status was found to be ofgreat importance as a high number of children that did not suffer from PEM were fullyimmunized. Most caregivers were peasant farmers (50%), aged between 25 and 29 years (40%),and who lived in a rural area (84%), on an average monthly income of between 100,000 –500,000 UGX (73%) and monthly food expenditure of 50,000UGX or more. The prevalence ofProtein Energy Malnutrition among under-five children admitted at JRRH was 16%, whichwarrants immediate mitigating measures