Factors associated with acute malnutrition among children aged 6-59 months in Haiti, Burkina Faso and Madagascar: A pooled analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute malnutrition is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years worldwide, and Action Contre la Faim (ACF) aims to address its causes and consequences. To better tailor humanitarian programs, ACF conducts standardized contextual studies called Link NCAs (Nutrition Causal Analysis), to identify factors associated with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Data from three Link NCAs performed in 2018 and 2019 in Haiti, Burkina Faso and Madagascar were used to explore the prevalence of malnutrition by different indicators and associated risk factors among children aged 6-59 months. METHODS: Cross-sectional data, collected via household surveys applying two-stage cluster sampling, were pooled to build a sample of 1,356 children. Recommended anthropometric thresholds were used to define SAM (Weight-for-Height Z-score (WHZ) <-3 or Mid-upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) <115 mm and/or presence oedema), MAM (-3≤WHZ<-2 or 115≤MUAC<125 mm) and global acute malnutrition GAM (SAM or MAM) among children. Multivariate analyses for each anthropometric indicator were performed using logistic mixed models and adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: The prevalence of acute malnutrition was the highest in Madagascar. The risk of having GAM and MAM varied across countries, while the risk of having SAM varied across clusters. Being male, suffering from diarrhea, and having unwashed face and hands, were significantly associated with GAM by WHZ with adjusted odds ratio of 1.9 [95%Confidence interval (CI):1.1-3.2], 1.7 (95%CI: 1.0-3.1) and 1.9 (95%CI: 1.0-3.6) respectively. These factors were also associated with MAM by WHZ. None of the studied factors was significantly associated with SAM, which could be due to a small sample size. CONCLUSION: These results obtained from a large sample contribute to the evidence of the factors associated with undernutrition in children aged 6-59 months. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these results.

Taking Severe Acute Malnutrition Treatment Back to the Community: Practical Experiences from Nutrition Coverage Surveys.

The community-based management of acute malnutrition treatment model was introduced to respond to the limited coverage of the inpatient model. Yet until the introduction of quick and low-cost approaches to measuring coverage, its reach was unknown. Once the Coverage Monitoring Network (CMN) had been created to roll out the routine measurement of direct coverage estimates to implementers, they found that programs were reaching only a third of cases. The barriers found to be limiting coverage were the result of the limited perceived value, and therefore focus, on the community. Therefore, the Network used the coverage assessment methodology as a way to encourage implementers to engage more fully with the community. By introducing small changes to the project cycle, specifically a participatory approach to assessments, program design and implementation, the CMN has changed the way implementers engage with the community. Instead of viewing them as passive receivers of services, they have shifted their perspective to view them as service delivery partners. The process provides implementers with a deeper understanding of the context while allowing the community to better understand the program, its challenges, and the identification of solutions. The Network observed implementers from Ministries of Health, and non-governmental organizations, adjusted their understanding and approach to service provision, which is critical if we are to see sustainable increases in program coverage. These experiences show that there is an appetite from implementers in multiple contexts for these practical and simple tools for re-engaging the community.