Case Fatality Rate and Etiological Factors of Malnutrition in Children Less than 5 Years of Age

Objective: To calculate the case fatality rate and etiological factors of malnutrition in children less than 05 years of age presenting to a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in the admitted patients in the Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, during one and an half year period from January 2009 to June 2010. A total of 976 patients (aged from 0 day to 60 months, both male and female) with various diseases were recorded as samples. The frequency of different types and grades of malnutrition and important etiological factors for malnutrition in these children were scrutinized. Case fatality was also calculated among the malnourished children. Results: Out of 976, 294 (30.12%) were malnourished. Among these, majority (n= 195, 66.3%) were in the age range of 13-60 months, with mean age of 36.20 + 3.82 months. Many (n=157, 53.4%) were male children with male to female ratio of 1.14:1. majority 139 (44.28%) had grade I malnutrition. The commonest medical etiological factors was chronic or recurrent diarrhea n=205, 69.72%), anemia (n=139, 47.27%), respiratory tract infections (n=115, 39.11%); and inadequate feeding history (n=111, 37.75%). Most prominent social etiological factors were poverty (n=236, 80.27%), uneducated mothers (n=223, 75.85 %), more than 2 children under 5 years in family (n=136, 46.25%) cases. Case fatality (mortality) rate was 40 (13.6%). Conclusions: Majority of malnourished children are males between the age of 13 to 60 months. Mass media campaign should be started for the eradication of malnutrition in children.