Association of Maternal Common Mental Disorder and Young Children Acute Malnutrition among Mekelle Public Health Facilities, Northern Ethiopia, 2019 - a Case-control Study

The World Health Organization has claimed that morbidity and disability of the global population due to child malnutrition has internationally become the chief cause of disability. However, in our country, its association with a young child’s nutritional outcomes is rarely studied.

To assess the effect of maternal common mental disorder and substance abuse on young child acute malnutrition.

An institution's based case-control study was conducted among 192 women; 64 cases and 128 control in Mekelle public health facilities. Two hospitals and three health centers were included in this study. Self-Reporting Questionnaire 20-Item (SRQ-20) was used to assess the presence of maternal common mental disorder. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. The strength of association was measured through odds ratio at their 95% CI. The statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

The result of this study revealed that young children who have a mother with a common mental disorder are 6.1 times [AOR= 6.11, 95%CI (1.18, 31.71)] more likely to develop acute malnutrition than children who have mothers with no common mental disorder. Mothers of acutely malnourished children should be evaluated early for the detection of maternal common mental disorder for appropriate referral and support.

Maternal common mental disorder was an independent determinant of young children’s acute malnutrition. Mothers of acutely malnourished children should be evaluated early for the detection of maternal common mental disorder for appropriate referral and support.