magnitude of under nutrition and Associated Factors Among Children with Cardiac Disease at Selected Public Hospitals and Cardiac Center in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, 2024

Abstract

Abstractttt Introduction: Introduction: Heart disease and under nutrition are linked in a vicious circle. The impact of under nutrition on heart disease in children living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is little understood including Ethiopia. Under nutrition imposes a significant burden on the Ethiopian economy and also impacts societal health. Objectives: To assess the magnitude of under nutrition and associated factors among children with cardiac disease in selected public hospitals and cardiac center Ethiopia in Addis Ababa city, 2024. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 381 children with cardiac disease at selected governmental hospitals and the Cardiac Center Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2024. The study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered by interviewers, and anthropometric measurements were performed. Malnutrition was diagnosed according to WHO criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Binary logistic regression was done to select candidate variables for the multivariate logistic analysis at a p-value < 0.25. Multicollinearity tests were conducted to ensure no significant correlation among independent variables. Model fitness was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the strength of association using adjusted odds ratio at 95% confidence level and a p-value of less than 0.05. Results: The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight was 55.9% (95%, CI: 50.76, 60.96), 44.36% (95%, CI: 39.30, 49.50), and 53.28 %( 95% CI: 48.13, 58.40), respectively. Being rural residence (AOR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.81), under two years (AOR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.0, 4.21), and inadequate dietary diversity (AOR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.68) were significantly associated with stunting. Likewise, being male (AOR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.39, 3.71), encountering moderate to severe heart failure (AOR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.75), and poor dietary diversity (AOR: 1.59, 95% 1.01, 2.53) were independently associated with wasting. Being male (AOR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.84), aged under twenty-four months (AOR: 4.75, 95% CI: 2.66, 8.48) and ii twenty-four to fifty-nine months (AOR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.13, 3.34), and inadequate dietary diversity (AOR: 2.08 95% CI: 1.28, 3.37) were significantly associated with underweight. Conclusion: The study revealed that stunting, wasting and underweight are high among children with cardiac disease. Rural residence, under two years, and inadequate dietary diversity increase the odds of stunting. Being male, encountering moderate to severe heart failure and poor dietary diversity were independently increase the risk of wasting. Furthermore, being male, fewer than under-five and inadequate dietary diversity increase the odds of underweight. Therefore, the parents are encouraged to improve the dietary diversity the meal given for children with cardiac disease. Keywords: Magnitude, under nutrition, stunting, wasting, underweight.