Factors Associeted with stunting among children aged 6-23 months in Nyanza District, Rwanda,2019, A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Stunting is a most important public health problem in developing countries. Stunting is among the priorities of Rwanda for the Sustainable Development Goals. Nyanza District is one of Districts where different nutritional interventions have been implemented to decrease malnutrition. Despite that stunting remains an important public health problem among children under 5 years in Nyanza District. We conducted this study to identify factors associated with stunting among children aged between 6 to 23 months residing in Nyanza District. Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted to 374 mothers and their children aged 6 to 23 months in Nyanza District from July to September 2019. Length was measured using height board; Emergency Nutrition Assessment (ENA) software was used to calculate height for age Z score. The children with height for age index below -2 Z-scores were considered stunted, and not stunted >-2 Z score according to the criteria by the WHO. A questionnaire was used to collect variables on socio demographic, maternal and children’s conditions. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20. Association between the variables was assessed by using multivariate logistic regression. The level of significant was set at p<0.05 and CI 95%. Results: A total of 374 children were screened for stunting in this study. Among them 28.1% were stunted. Factors significantly associated with stunting were: education level of the mothers [OR=3.14, CI 1.31 - 7.51, the poor socio economic status: Ubudehe category 1 [OR=2.96, CI 1.39 - 6.29] and ubudehe category 2 [OR = 2.83, CI 1.59 - 5.03], hand washing with soap, [OR=2.30, CI 0.13- 0.72] those factors were more likely associated with stunting. Conclusion: Stunting remains a public health problem in Nyanza District. Factors that contributing to stunting identified are education level of the mothers; ubudehe category and hand washing with soap. We recommended increasing awareness of mothers in nutrition and hygiene and improve socio economic status of the population, to those who are in ubudehe category 1 and ubudehe category 2, by increasing income generating activities in the community in order to address poverty.