Assessment of mothers awareness on acute malnutrition

Evelyn Karikari; Nikita Sokolov; Maria Mikerova; Benjamin  Asiedu-Ayeh; Modesta  Karikari; David Ameyaw; Sampson  Kawuo; Tamara Nikolic Turnic

doi:10.5937/mckg58-53806

Evelyn Karikari Department of Public Health and Healthcare, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
Nikita Sokolov Department of Public Health and Healthcare, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
Maria Mikerova Department of Public Health and Healthcare, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
Benjamin Asiedu-Ayeh Department of Adult Nursing, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
Modesta Karikari Department of Pharmacy, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
David Ameyaw Holystic Nutrition Organization, Ghana.
Sampson Kawuo Holystic Nutrition Organization, Ghana.
Tamara Nikolic Turnic Fakultet medicinskih nauka, Univerzitet u Kragujevcu, Departman za Klinicku farmaciju

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/mckg58-53806

Keywords: Awareness, Malnutrition, Acute Malnutrition, Guardians

Abstract

Background and Aim: According to the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN), pediatric malnutrition is defined as “an imbalance between nutrient requirement and intake, resulting in cumulative deficits of energy, protein, or micronutrients that may negatively affect growth, development, and other relevant outcomes.” The purpose of this study was to assess guardians’ awareness of Acute Malnutrition and its management in Ghana.

Method: This qualitative research employed the grounded theory study design. 15 participants were interviewed from the SMALCHILD (Save the Malnourished Child) clinic of Holystic Nutrition Organization, Ghana. Microsoft Office Excel was used for analysing data.

Results: In this current study, guardians shared their ideas on malnutrition and their previous knowledge of it before seeking for clinical services and four themes were generated: Signs and symptoms of Acute Malnutrition manifested reported by participants as manifested in their children, Misconceptions that participants had about Acute Malnutrition, Initial response by participants to treat Acute Malnutrition and How participants found out about clinical management of Acute Malnutrition.

Conclusion: From this research, we observed that participants were able to identify some of the initial signs and symptoms for Acute malnutrition but had some misconceptions. Most thought that the condition was Asraam (which meant that a witch is a cause of that condition), and sought help from Asraam doctors with the use of herbal medications. This alone shows how important it is to educate guardians on Acute Malnutrition to prevent further complication of their children.

References

1. Dipasquale V, Cucinotta U, Romano C. Acute Malnutrition in Children: Pathophysiology, Clinical Effects and Treatment. Nutrients. 2020 Aug 12;12(8):2413. doi: 10.3390/nu12082413. PMID: 32806622; PMCID: PMC7469063.
2. Barker LA, Gout BS, Crowe TC. Hospital malnutrition: prevalence, identification and impact on patients and the healthcare system. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011 Feb;8(2):514-27. doi: 10.3390/ijerph8020514. Epub 2011 Feb 16. PMID: 21556200; PMCID: PMC3084475.
3. Black RE, Victora CG, Walker SP, et al. Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet. 2013;382:427-51.
4. Koletzko B. Pediatric Nutrition in Practice. Volume 113. World Review Nutrition Dietetics. Basel, Karger: 2015. pp. 139–146.
5. UNICEF, World Health Organization & World Bank. UNICEF–WHO–the world bank: Joint child malnutrition estimates. New York/Geneva/Washington: UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank; 2020.
6. Doku DT, Neupane S. Double burden of malnutrition: increasing overweight and obesity and stall underweight trends among Ghanaian women. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:670.
7. Ghana Statistical Service, Ghana Health Service & ICF International. Ghana demographic and health survey. GSS, GHS and ICF International; 2014.
8. Yawson AE, Amoaful EO, Senaya LK, Yawson AO, Aboagye PK, Mahama AB, et al. The Lancet series nutritional interventions in Ghana: A determinants analysis approach to inform nutrition strategic planning. BMC Nutr. 2017;3(1):1–8.
9. Sarpong SA, Sarpong AK, Lee Y. A Model for Determining Predictors of the MUAC in Acute Malnutrition in Ghana. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Apr 5;18(7):3792. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18073792. PMID: 33916468; PMCID: PMC8038631.
10. Ghana Statistical Service. Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey with an Enhanced Malaria Module and Biomarker, (Final Report). Accra, Ghana: Ghana Statistical Service; 2011.
11. World Health Organization. Guideline: Updates on the Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition in Infants and Children. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO; 2013.
12. Pigneur B, Lepage P, Mondot S, Schmitz J, Goulet O, Doré J, et al. Mucosal healing and bacterial composition in response to enteral nutrition vs steroid-based induction therapy-a randomised prospective clinical trial in children with Crohn’s disease. J Crohns Colitis. 2019;13:846–55. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjy207.
13. Khan GN, Turab A, Khan MI, Rizvi A, Shaheen F, Ullah A, et al. Prevalence and associated factors of malnutrition among children under-five years in Sindh, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nutr. 2016;2:69. doi: 10.1186/s40795-016-0112-4.
14. Chen Q. Interrupted Maternal Education Child Health: The Long Run Health Impact of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Job Market Paper, China: University of Minnesota; 2010. Available from: https://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/china/publications/1450. Accessed September 2021.
15. Aljohani AA, Aljohani MA. The knowledge of mothers about children malnutrition and associated factors. Int J Med Developing Countries. 2020;4:7–11. doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1541620358.
16. Akhtar S. Malnutrition in South Asia‐ a critical reappraisal. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2016;56(14):2320–30. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2013.832143.
17. Choudhury N, Raihan MJ, Sultana S, Mahmud Z, Farzana FD, Haque A, et al. Determinants of age‐specific undernutrition in children aged less than 2 years‐the Bangladesh context. Matern Child Nutr. 2017;13(3):e12362. doi: 10.1111/mcn.12362.
18. Sharma IK, Byrne A. Early initiation of breastfeeding: A systematic literature review of factors and barriers in South Asia. Int Breastfeed J. 2016;11(17):1–12. doi: 10.1186/s13006-016-0076-7.
19. World Health Organization. Child health in the community— “Community IMCI.” Geneva, Switzerland: WHO; 2011.
20. Acheampong PR, Mohammed A, Twumasi-Ankrah S, Sylverken AA, Owusu M, Acquah-Gyan E, et al. 'This disease is not meant for the hospital, it is Asram': Implications of a traditionally-defined illness on healthcare seeking for children under-5 in rural Ashanti, Ghana. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2022 Sep 8;2(9):e0000978. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000978. PMID: 36962827; PMCID: PMC10021330.
21. Menaca A, Pool R, Pell C. Asram: A superdiverse illness concept. L’Uomo Soc Tradiz Svilupp. 2017;42:73–94.
22. Batool R, Butt MS, Sultan MT, Saeed F, Naz R. Protein–energy malnutrition: A risk factor for various ailments. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2015;55:242–53.
23. Adeomi AA, Fatusi A, Klipstein-Grobusch K. 'Children eat all things here': a qualitative study of mothers' perceptions and cultural beliefs about underweight and overweight children and adolescents in selected communities in two Nigerian states. BMJ Open. 2022.
24. Acheampong PR, Mohammed A, Twumasi-Ankrah S, Sylverken AA, Owusu M, Acquah-Gyan E, et al. This disease is not meant for the hospital, it is Asram’: Implications of a traditionally-defined illness on healthcare seeking for children under-5 in rural Ashanti, Ghana. 2022.
25. Webair HH, Bin Ghouth AS. “This diarrhoea is not a disease.” local illness concepts and their effects on mothers’ health seeking behaviour: A qualitative study, Shuhair, Yemen. BMC Public Health. 2014.