- Title
- A stunting profile of children under the age of five visiting Bhisho hospital clinic, part of the umbrella project: a profile of stunting in children under the age of five in food insecure villages in Mqanduli, Ngqushwa and Bhisho hospital, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Creator
- Beyleveld, Janine
- Subject
- Children -- growth
- Date Issued
- 2020
- Date
- 2020
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MSc
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50201
- Identifier
- vital:42066
- Description
- Introduction and Background: Stunting is the most prevalent form of childhood malnutrition where about 149 million children under the age of five can be classified as stunted globally. South Africa has one of the highest stunting rates in the world at 27%, causing devastating effects on economic productivity as well as on an individual’s nutritional status. The presence of stunted growth in children is a strong indicator of chronic undernutrition and highlights injustices experienced within communities. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study is to develop a stunning profile of children under the age of five, visiting BhishoHospital’s gateway clinic in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The objectives were to determine the prevalence of stunting of the children visiting Bhisho Hospital’s clinic and to identify the drivers of stunting in the area. Methodology: A quantitative study with a descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. The study population included all children under the age of five visiting Bhisho Hospital’s clinic. Data was collected by means of an interview-administered questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of stunting in the area was 47.5%. A significant association was found between the participants' main form of sanitation and stunting category in the group of infants younger than six months (p = 0.007) and the group older than six months(p = 0.040). Discussion: The prevalence of stunting in the area was far higher than the national average of 27%, although the majority of the sample had a normal weight. The use of non-flush toilets was found to be a risk factor for childhood stunting. Recommendation: Financial and political investment in child health needs to be placed as a top priority in South Africa to reduce stunting rates.
- Format
- 157 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
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NMU School of Lifestyle Sciences
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Beyleveld, J.pdf | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |