Risk of child undernutrition in households with life-limiting illness: A cross-sectional study
| dc.contributor.author | Petersen, Janni B.; | |
| dc.contributor.author | Naleba, Irene; | |
| dc.contributor.author | Namugambe, Josephine ; | |
| dc.contributor.author | Heilskov, Sofine; | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kallestrup, Per | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-03-21T13:13:10Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-03-21T13:13:10Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-03 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Background: An ongoing challenge within the field of undernutrition is to identify children at risk.Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate whether children who are living in households inhabiting a household member with a life-limiting illness are at risk of undernutrition.Setting: A comparative cross-sectional study was performed in Uganda.Methods: We collected anthropometric data on children under the age of five and information on household dietary diversity, food security and healthcare barriers. Study participants for the hypothesised high-risk group were recruited within households receiving home-based palliative care. The comparison group included neighbouring households.Results: Data collection from 145 paired households was performed from April to July 2021. There was no statistically significant difference in prevalence of undernutrition. For all continuous nutrition indicators there was a trend towards less undernutrition in the hypothesised high-risk group than in the comparison group. We found lower overall prevalence of acute malnutrition than expected. The hypothesised high-risk group was associated with higher food insecurity than the comparison group.Conclusion: Lower overall acute malnutrition than expected may be because of the season variability. Stunting was higher than expected in both groups, which may suggest season variability in undernutrition. The results suggest a protective effect of receiving home-based palliative care on child nutritional status.Contribution: The study did not show a risk of child undernutrition in households inhabiting a household member with life-limiting illness. Future research may identify key elements responsible for the potential protective effects of home-based palliative care on child undernutrition. CrossRef | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | The authors reported that they received funding from Danske Lægers Forsikring under SEB Pension, Fonden af 1870, Helgaog Peter Kornings fond, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at Copenhagen University, Fhv. Dir. Leo Nielsen og Hustru Karen Margrethe Nielsens Legat for lægevidenskabelig grundforskning, Lundbeckfonden. The funding sources had no influence on the design of the study, data collection, analysis or conclusions in this study, which may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed publication. The author has disclosed those interests fully and has implemented an approved plan for managing any potential conflicts arising from their involvement. The terms of these funding arrangements have been reviewed and approved by the affiliated university in accordance with its policy on objectivity in research | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Petersen, Janni B., Irene Naleba, Josephine Namugambe, et al. 'Risk of Child Undernutrition in Households with Life-Limiting Illness: A Cross-Sectional Study', African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, vol. 17/no. 1, (2025), . | |
| dc.identifier.issn | ISSN 2071-2928 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | EISSN 2071-2936 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://nru.uncst.go.ug/handle/123456789/10176 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | AOSIS (Pty) Ltd | |
| dc.title | Risk of child undernutrition in households with life-limiting illness: A cross-sectional study | |
| dc.type | Article |