The association between nutritional status and household sanitation among rural children in the Tibetan and Sichuan minority areas: a cross-sectional study
Background: To investigate the nutritional status and household sanitation among children under 5 in Tibetan and Sichuan minority areas and to analyse the association between nutritional status and household sanitation. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by the probability proportional to size sampling method between August and October 2016. Nutritional status was evaluated according to the standards of growth and development recommended by the World Health Organization. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the association between nutritional status and household sanitation.
Results: A total of 965 children under the age of 5 and their caregivers were included. The rates of normal development, stunting, underweight, wasting, overweight and obesity of children in Sichuan and Tibet were 69.0%, 19.8%, 8.0%, 5.2%, 4.6% and 1.8%, respectively. The multivariable logistic regression analyses shows that other unprotected water sources (AOR=3.21, 95%CI=1.41~7.32), unboiled drinking water (AOR=2.05, 95%CI=1.41~2.97), sanitary and dry toilets (AOR=2.04, 95%CI=1.12~3.71), unsanitary and dry toilets (AOR=2.80, 95%CI=1.42~5.51), usually do not washing hands at critical times (AOR=2.11, 95%CI=1.15~3.90), washing hands only with water (AOR=1.53, 95%CI=1.03~2.26) and unsanitary treatment of children's faeces (AOR=1.56, 95%CI=1.11~2.20) were the risk factors for stunting in children. Protected well water (AOR=4.28, 95%CI=1.46~12.52), other unprotected water sources (AOR=4.30, 95%CI=1.36~13.61), unsanitary and dry toilets (AOR=4.44, 95%CI=1.26~15.59), washing hands at only one critical moment (AOR=2.77, 95%CI=1.15~6.65), washing hands only with water (AOR=2.22, 95%CI=1.20~4.09) and unsanitary treatment of children’s faeces (AOR=2.01, 95%CI=1.23~3.28) were risk factors for underweight in children.
Conclusion: The malnutrition of children under 5 years of age in the rural areas home to ethnic minorities in Sichuan and Tibet is serious, and the problem of stunting is particularly prominent. The children's household sanitation status is poor, and the family's economic income has an impact on household sanitation; thus, household sanitation has an impact on both the height and the weight of the child. The relevant departments should increase the family's economic income while conducting household sanitation interventions, thereby reducing the incidence and mortality due to malnutrition.
Posted 10 Jan, 2020
The association between nutritional status and household sanitation among rural children in the Tibetan and Sichuan minority areas: a cross-sectional study
Posted 10 Jan, 2020
Background: To investigate the nutritional status and household sanitation among children under 5 in Tibetan and Sichuan minority areas and to analyse the association between nutritional status and household sanitation. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by the probability proportional to size sampling method between August and October 2016. Nutritional status was evaluated according to the standards of growth and development recommended by the World Health Organization. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the association between nutritional status and household sanitation.
Results: A total of 965 children under the age of 5 and their caregivers were included. The rates of normal development, stunting, underweight, wasting, overweight and obesity of children in Sichuan and Tibet were 69.0%, 19.8%, 8.0%, 5.2%, 4.6% and 1.8%, respectively. The multivariable logistic regression analyses shows that other unprotected water sources (AOR=3.21, 95%CI=1.41~7.32), unboiled drinking water (AOR=2.05, 95%CI=1.41~2.97), sanitary and dry toilets (AOR=2.04, 95%CI=1.12~3.71), unsanitary and dry toilets (AOR=2.80, 95%CI=1.42~5.51), usually do not washing hands at critical times (AOR=2.11, 95%CI=1.15~3.90), washing hands only with water (AOR=1.53, 95%CI=1.03~2.26) and unsanitary treatment of children's faeces (AOR=1.56, 95%CI=1.11~2.20) were the risk factors for stunting in children. Protected well water (AOR=4.28, 95%CI=1.46~12.52), other unprotected water sources (AOR=4.30, 95%CI=1.36~13.61), unsanitary and dry toilets (AOR=4.44, 95%CI=1.26~15.59), washing hands at only one critical moment (AOR=2.77, 95%CI=1.15~6.65), washing hands only with water (AOR=2.22, 95%CI=1.20~4.09) and unsanitary treatment of children’s faeces (AOR=2.01, 95%CI=1.23~3.28) were risk factors for underweight in children.
Conclusion: The malnutrition of children under 5 years of age in the rural areas home to ethnic minorities in Sichuan and Tibet is serious, and the problem of stunting is particularly prominent. The children's household sanitation status is poor, and the family's economic income has an impact on household sanitation; thus, household sanitation has an impact on both the height and the weight of the child. The relevant departments should increase the family's economic income while conducting household sanitation interventions, thereby reducing the incidence and mortality due to malnutrition.