Determinants of malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months in the Ototo Health Zone, Sankuru Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

The population of the Lodja health zone suffers from food insufficiency due to poor rainfall and/or climatic changes affectin g
the agricultural zones of the Lodja region, and from acute micronutrient deficiencies. This situation also compromises the growth
of children and women living in the health zone, affecting their ability to learn and work, and hampering the economic growth
of entire communities. The aim of this study is to identify the determinants of malnutrition in the Ototo health zone. It is a crosssectional descriptive study with an analytical focus. We used a random sampling method with a four-stage sampling technique
represented as follows: in the first stage, we have the health areas of the health zone; in the second stage, we have the avenues;
in the third stage, the households and children under five; in the fourth stage, with the statistical units. The study population was
made up of households with children under five in the Ototo health zone. There were 470 households with target children. The
results reveal that for acute malnutrition, parity ≥ 5, source of drinking water, weaning age < 24 months were factors whose
presence statistically significantly reduced the risk of occurrence. The more positive these variables were, the less likely the
child was to suffer from malnutrition. For chronic malnutrition, measles vaccination had an important protective role, although
the relationship was not statistically significant. The more children were vaccinated, the less likely they were to suffer from
malnutrition.