Prevalence and comorbidities for acute malnutrition among under-fives admitted in the peadiatric ward at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Acute malnutrition is still a major global child health and public health problem especially in low- and middle- income countries of Africa where it causes significant morbidity and mortality among the vulnerable children aged five years and below. Like its African counterparts, Uganda still grapples with acute malnutrition among its under-fives with regional prevalence variations. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed that made use of both qualitative and quantitative approaches involving 81 study participants. Data on the matter in Fort-Portal, and greater Kabarole, is scanty and thus a study was conducted assessing the prevalence and comorbidities for acute malnutrition among under-fives attending FPRRH. Results: The prevalence of acute malnutrition among under-fives at FPRRH was high at 14.17%, with diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria being the top three comorbidities others being cerebral palsy, anaemia and URTIs. Conclusion: Acute malnutrition among under-fives admitted at FPRRH was high with presence of comorbid infections found to be of statistical significance as acute malnutrition predictors