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Thursday, April 30, 2009
Sadrivaan A and B (The Hilton Istanbul Hotel )
As described in the Millennium Development Goals, malnutrition is one of the major obstacles to sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty reduction, especially in developing countries.
These are first results from a cross- sectional study in Amppipal hospital (Gorkha District) which provides health care for about 200.000 inhabitants from Gorkha, Lamjung and Tanahun district. During first 5 months of data collection 950 children aged 0 to 15 years seek medical aid in Amppipal Hospital (57,75% male, 42,25% female children, missing percent= missing data).
Data concerning Health Care provision during last attendance were available from 606 children.
Reasons for present consultation: infectious diseases 51,2%, non-infectious diseases 21,40% , 14,5% injuries, perinatal conditions 1,2%, 5,0% other. Mostly they suffered from infectious diseases of the respiratory tract and gut (40,7% and 17.5% of all diagnosed infectious diseases). Reasons for seeking medical aid last time: 62,1% due to high fever, diarrhea or cough, 22,8% for immunization, 15% for other reasons. 29,1% of the 0 to 5 years and 18,9% of the 6- 15 years aged children suffered from a BMI below 3rd percentile. 48,8% of all children needed health care during the last 30 days and 48,8% between 1 month and 1 year ago. Providing meals during last illness by the mother: 0,4% more than usual, 24,0% about the same, 65,2% less than usual, 3,1% stopped food, 6,4% never gave food (exclusively breast feeding).
The children mostly presented with infectious diseases and seek medical aid for similar health problems during the last year. A considerable number of children suffer from a serious low BMI.
However, it is discussable, whether parents should be better informed about supporting prevention of infectious diseases and child`s reconvalescence by appropriate provision of fluid and food and if this can help to mitigate the vicious circle of malnutrition, morbidity and poverty.
These are first results from a cross- sectional study in Amppipal hospital (Gorkha District) which provides health care for about 200.000 inhabitants from Gorkha, Lamjung and Tanahun district. During first 5 months of data collection 950 children aged 0 to 15 years seek medical aid in Amppipal Hospital (57,75% male, 42,25% female children, missing percent= missing data).
Data concerning Health Care provision during last attendance were available from 606 children.
Reasons for present consultation: infectious diseases 51,2%, non-infectious diseases 21,40% , 14,5% injuries, perinatal conditions 1,2%, 5,0% other. Mostly they suffered from infectious diseases of the respiratory tract and gut (40,7% and 17.5% of all diagnosed infectious diseases). Reasons for seeking medical aid last time: 62,1% due to high fever, diarrhea or cough, 22,8% for immunization, 15% for other reasons. 29,1% of the 0 to 5 years and 18,9% of the 6- 15 years aged children suffered from a BMI below 3rd percentile. 48,8% of all children needed health care during the last 30 days and 48,8% between 1 month and 1 year ago. Providing meals during last illness by the mother: 0,4% more than usual, 24,0% about the same, 65,2% less than usual, 3,1% stopped food, 6,4% never gave food (exclusively breast feeding).
The children mostly presented with infectious diseases and seek medical aid for similar health problems during the last year. A considerable number of children suffer from a serious low BMI.
However, it is discussable, whether parents should be better informed about supporting prevention of infectious diseases and child`s reconvalescence by appropriate provision of fluid and food and if this can help to mitigate the vicious circle of malnutrition, morbidity and poverty.
Learning Objectives: According to Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (World Health Organization 2003) malnutrition and its consequences affiliate to the major obstacles to sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty reduction, especially in developing countries like Nepal. (The World Bank ranks Nepal among the LDC, the Least Developed Countries.) Reduction of malnutrition by the half from 1990 to 2015 even became one of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations. We would like to analyse, for what reasons children in rural Nepal are seeking medical aid and if there is an correlation between disease spectrum and the children`s nutritional status. Additionally we would like to discuss how parent`s behavior concerning prevention of diseases should be interpreted and what to advise to the parents.
Sub-Theme: Poverty, Health and Development: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals