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Socio-economic Inequality in Stunting among Children Aged 6-59 Months in a Ugandan Population Based Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Baru Ruth Sharon Apio, Ratib Mawa, Stephen Lawoko, and Krishna Nand Sharma
Source: American Journal of Pediatrics , 5(3): 125-132; DOI: 10.11648/j.ajp.20190503.18
Topic(s): Child health
Children under five
Inequality
Nutrition
Country: Africa
  Uganda
Published: SEP 2019
Abstract: Socio-economic status is an important predictor of stunting, however published population based studies on socio-economic inequalities in stunting among children under-five years of age is scarce in Uganda. Data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey was used to identify possible socio-economic inequalities in stunting among 3941 children aged 6-59 months. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were fitted to calculate the odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals for stunting by maternal formal education and household wealth index. The overall prevalence of stunting among children was 30.1%. The risk of stunting was higher among children whose mothers had no formal education (OR: 4.35; 95% CI, 2.45-7.71), attained primary (OR: 2.74 95% CI, 1.62-4.63) and secondary level education (OR: 2.30 95% CI, 1.34-3.96) compared to those whose mothers attained tertiary level education. Similarly higher risk of stunting was found among children that lived in the poorest (OR: 1.78 95% CI, 1.23-2.59), poorer (OR: 1.88; 95% CI, (1.28-2.74), middle (OR: 1.91, 95% CI, 1.31-2.77) and richer households (OR: 1.60; 95% CI, 1.10-2.32) compared to those in the richest households. Socio-economic differences in stunting among children under-five years of age were found. Targeting stunting prevention interventions to less affluent mother-child dyads and households might be important in reducing social inequalities in stunting among children under-five years of age in Uganda. Keywords Stunting, Children, Socio-economic Status, Inequalities, Uganda
Web: http://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajp.20190503.18.pdf