Prevalence and Determinants of Under-Five Malnutrition in Borana Zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia: Effects of a Prolonged Drought

Background: Evidence-based health and nutrition findings have a crucial role in improving the level of the problem and associated mortality reduction in children. With Borana experiencing a prolonged drought, our study sought to both update estimates and determinants of malnutrition in the zone and assess the impact of the drought on these estimates and determinants in order to inform drought response strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among children under five years in Borena Zone from August 16 to September 03, 2022 using multistage cluster sampling technique. Data was collected by a structured questionnaire and anthropometrical measurements. The collected data was exported into STATA 15 for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with malnutrition. Results: A total of 537 children aged from 6 months up to 59 months and their caregivers were included in the study. The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was 40%, 33.5%, 27.6% respectively. The 12–24 months age group (AOR: 0.51, p = 0.021), unimproved water sources (AOR: 1.93, p = 0.003), and history of diarrhea in the two weeks prior to the survey (AOR: 1.66, p = 0.05) were independently associated with acute malnutrition. Moreover, living in urban areas (AOR: 1.68, p = 0.007), access to diversified food (AOR: 0.67, p = 0.046) and feeding frequency (AOR: 0.43, p = 0.044) were independent predictors of chronic malnutrition. Conclusion: There was a higher prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight in Borena Zone than the national malnutrition prevalence. Community based nutrition programs need to be established to tackle the problem of malnutrition and exacerbate the impact of a prolonged drought in Borana. Interventions should be focused on improving household food security, use of improved water sources, and nutrition education to diversify child diet.