A short-term intervention for the treatment of severe malnutrition in a post-conflict country: results of a survey in Guinea Bissau.
Public Health Nutr
; 11(12): 1357-64, 2008 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18652716
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
To determine (i) the extent of malnutrition and the risk factors for severe malnutrition in Guinea Bissau, a post-conflict country experiencing long-term consequences of civil war; and (ii) the feasibility and effectiveness of a short-term intervention characterized by outpatient treatment with locally produced food for the treatment of severe malnutrition during the rainy season. DESIGN ANDSETTING:
Social, clinical, nutritional information were collected for children reaching the paediatric outpatient clinic of the Hospital 'Comunità di Sant'Egidio' in Bissau, Guinea Bissau, from 1 July to 12 August 2003. Severely malnourished children (weight-for-age <-3sd) in poor health status were admitted for daily nutritional and pharmacological treatment until complete recovery. Social and health indicators were analysed to define risk factors of severe malnutrition.RESULTS:
In total, 2642 children were visited (age range 1 month-17 years). Fever, cough and dermatological problems were the main reasons for access. Social data outlined poor housing conditions 86.4 % used water from unprotected wells, 97.3 % did not have a bathroom at home, 78.2 % lived in a mud house. Weight-for-age was <-2sd in 23.0 % of the children and <-3sd in 10.3 %; thirty-seven children (1.4 %) were severely malnourished and admitted for day care. All recovered with a weight gain of 4.45 g/kg per d, none died or relapsed after 1 year. Severely malnourished children were mainly infants, part of large families and had illiterate mothers.CONCLUSION:
Short-term interventions performed in post-conflict countries during seasons of high burden of disease and malnutrition are feasible and successful at low cost; day-care treatment of severe malnutrition with locally produced food is an option that can be tested in other settings.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Poverty
/
Warfare
/
Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
/
Nutritional Status
/
Malnutrition
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
/
Patient_preference
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Public Health Nutr
Year:
2008
Document type:
Article