Jornal de Distúrbios Alimentares e Nutricionais

Treatment Outcomes and Barriers for Outpatient Management of Acute Malnutrition among 6-59 Months Children in Eastern Ethiopia: Mixed Study Design 2022

Tariku Derese*, Mikiyas Solomon and Bereket Tefera

Background: In Ethiopia children suffering from acute malnutrition are at significantly higher risk of morbidity and mortality. Most of the studies indicated that the treatment outcome of severe acute malnutrition is below the sphere standard. Different enablers and barriers influence treatment outcomes of children in outpatient therapeutics centers. This study is designed to describe treatment outcome and the main barriers hinder the treatment outcomes.

Methods: A mixed study design was implemented from January 20/2022-July 1/2022 and a total sample was 183. All cases from selected health facilities involved in the study and health professional trained on malnutrition were followed each case for 8 weeks. To explore facilitators and barriers of treatment outcomes in-depth interview of 14 key in formant was implemented. Quantitative data were collected by Kobo tool and the qualitative data were collected by tape recorder. Data were export to SPSS version 21 quantitative analysis and Nvivo 11 was used for qualitative data analysis. Outcome indicators were presented by tables and text. The qualitative data was presented with thematic area of the main findings.

Results: This finding revealed that 147 (81.2%) with (SD: 0.57 95% CI, (75.1-87.3)), 22 (12.2%) with (SD: 0.57 95% CI (6.6-17.4)) and 12 (6.6%) with (SD: 0.57 95% CI (3.1-10.7)) were cure, defaulter and non-recovery rates respectively. The average length of stay were 39 days and Mean weight gain was 1.36 g/kg/day. Discussants had identified: Collaboration, providers activity, structural factors, referral and communications and monitoring and reporting were a facilitators. Furthermore, sub-themes community perception, defaulting, family wealth, food sharing, maternal education and awareness, supplies, RUTF selling, training opportunities and professional burn-out identifies as barrier factors.

Conclusion: The results of treatment outcomes of severe acute malnutrition in outpatient centers were in acceptable range compared to sphere project reference values. Discussants identified that “community perception, defaulting, family wealth, food sharing, maternal education and awareness, supplies, RUTF selling, training opportunities and professional burn-out” as main barriers for treatment outcomes. Developing appropriate intervention and mass communication strategies on identified barriers for better treatment outcome is important.