Determinants of Undernutrition among Primary School Children Residing in Slum Areas of a Nigerian City

Background: Undernutrition remains the largest contributor to the global disease burden. Different factors affecting the nutritional status of children need to be studied to determine those to be targeted in a country like Nigeria; characterized by widespread poverty and inequitable distribution of wealth. Objective: This study was aimed at ascertaining the relationship between prevailing socioeconomic and environmental factors; and the nutritional status of children residing in a typical urban slum. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of 788 children aged 6-12 years selected by stratified; multistage random sampling method from public primary schools in slum and non-slum areas of Onitsha was carried out. Their nutritional status was determined using anthropometric measures. The socioeconomic and environmental variables of interest were analyzed to determine their relationship with undernutrition in the children. Results: Socioeconomic status was the major determinant of nutritional status in this study. Poor housing also affected the nutritional status of the slum children who were significantly from poorer families than those residing in non-slum areas (?2 = 66.69; P = 0.000). Conclusion: This study highlights the need for an effective nutrition program targeted at school children in urban slums surrounded by factors predisposing them to undernutrition

Drug Treatment Of Common Childhood Symptoms In Nnewi South Eastern Nigeria: What Mothers Do?

OBJECTIVES: To determine how mothers treat common childhood symptoms before hospital attendance in Nnewi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information was obtained from 211 consecutive mothers on their children's presenting symptoms; drugs administered; source of the drugs; persons who prescribed the drugs; number of drugs administered; prior to hospital attendance through a structured questionnaire administered by the authors. RESULTS: A combination of fever; cough and catarrh topped the list of presenting symptoms in 87 (41) of the patients while fever and diarrhea had the least frequency of 16 (7.6). One hundred and five or 52 of the mothers decided on the drugs that were administered followed by patent medicine dealers who accounted for 59 or 29.2. Trained health professionals whom mothers consulted before bringing their children to hospital were responsible for 28 (13.8) of the prescriptions. Patent medicine stores were the sources of 90.6 of the drugs while health facilities accounted for 8.4. The frequency chart of prescribed drugs were analgesics 166 (34.9); hematinics 88 (18.5); antibiotics and antimalarials 81 (17.1) and 74 (15.6) respectively while antidiarrheoals and ORT were least administered with 7 (1.5) and 1 (0.2) respectively. The children received an average of 2.7 drugs per prescription. CONCLUSION: With the high prescription rate of mothers for sick children at home; there is need for effective methods to educate mothers on the use and potential dangers of home medication

Breast feeding practices in Onitsha South Eastern Nigeria - 2 years after baby friendly initiative

"Objective: To study the impact of ""baby friendly hospital initiative"" on breast feeding practices in Onitsha South Eastern Nigeria; 2 years after introduction. Setting: Holy Rosary Maternity Hospital Onitsha. Materials and methods: A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 178 breast feeding mothers on maternal age; mothers' educational attainment; attendance at breast talks; and acceptance of exclusive breast feeding. Information was also obtained on feeding in the post natal ward; breast feeding practices at 6 weeks; 10 weeks; 14 weeks; 6 months; 9 months; 12 months; 18 months and 24 months post delivery. The data obtained was analyzed. Results: Breast feeding practices was studied among 178 breast feeding mothers attending the infant welfare clinics of Holy Rosary Maternity Hospital Onitsha; 2 years after it was made a ""Baby Friendly Hospital"". A total of 145 or 81.4 of the mothers were between the ages of 20 and 34 years; and all of them had some level of formal education with 59 of them acquiring secondary education. About one third or 33.1 of them were full time housewives while the rest engaged in one form of professional activity. While two thirds or 67.4 of the mothers attended breast feeding talk sessions 89 had knowledge of breast feeding support group and utilized their services during ante natal visits. Seventy three percent initiated breast feeding within less than an hour of delivery. All most all the mothers (99.4) established breast feeding by the time they were leaving the hospital on discharge and continued breast feeding up to 6 weeks post discharge. This proportion dropped to 84.3 at 12 months and to 1.1 at 24 months. Exclusive breast feeding rate fell from 99.4 on discharge to 3.9 at 6 months; while ""on-demand"" was practiced by 99.9 of the study population. Conclusion: We therefore recommend that the Campaign on Baby Friendly Initiative activities should continue and be strengthened to effect the ""The ten steps to successful breast feeding."