TREATMENT OUTCOMES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG SEVERELY MALNOURISHED UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN ADMITTED TO JINKA GENERAL HOSPITAL, SOUTH ARI ZONE, SOUTH E THIOPIA REGION

Introduction Recurrent drought has contributed to household level food insecurity that resulted in malnutrition in the zone. This contributed to high prevalence of children malnutrition. At the Jinka General Hospital the treatment outcomes and associated factors were not identified by research where there are high admissions of children with severe acute malnutrition with significant mortality. Therefore, this study was aimed to conduct a retrospective review of records of children admitted with severe acute malnutrition to Jinka General Hospital to assess treatment outcomes and associated factors at stabilization centre Objective This study was to assess treatment outcomes and associated factors in children with severe acute malnutrition admitted to Jinka General Hospital. Method A hospital record-based data analysis study was conducted to assess the treatment outcomes and associated factors of severe acute malnutrition among a total of 453 children aged 0 to 6 months and 6–59 months old. Severe acute malnutrition registration book and patient charts was used as a source of data. Data was entered into STATA version 16 for analysis. Ordered logistic regression was used to analyse treatment outcome with successful (cured), death (poor) and unknown (unsatisfactory). Variables at P-value <0.05 were considered as predictors of treatment outcome among children admitted with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Results Rehydration Solution for Malnutrition (ResoMal), educational status of mother, exclusive breast feeding, returned defaulter, severe wasting with bilateral Pitting oedema (Marasmus-Kwashiorkor), Infants 0-6 Months of age, and Unconscious were the substantial predictors of death among children admitted with SAM. Whereas therapeutic milk F-100, Gentamycin, sex of the child (male), rural residence, new admission, bilateral Pitting Oedema +++(Kwashiorkor), and some dehydrations were the predictors of recovery among the SAM cases. Conclusion exclusive breast feeding, and educational status of mother are the prevention of malnutrition. Targeted intervention of cases based on the enter category to stabilization centres is imperative for better outcome. The study also highlighted that the cure rate was below the SPHERE treatment outcome standard and death rate was at alarming rate according to SPHERE standard and national treatment outcome indicator. Thus, the study recommends management of SAM children through adherence with National Guideline for the Management of Acute Malnutrition in Ethiopia and empowering of women and girls to improve their literacy. This will contribute to improve household level food preparation practice and services to prevent malnutrition among children.