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Table 2 Risk factors for severe malnutrition among undernourished children admitted at Bugando Medical Centre

From: Prevalence of undernutrition and risk factors of severe undernutrition among children admitted to Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania

Risk factors

Malnutrition

Unadjusted

Adjusted

Severe (N = 178) n(%)

Mild and moderate (N = 224) n (%)

OR[95 % CI]

P - value

OR[95 % CI]

P - value

Age

  ≥ 25

32 (25.2)

95 (74.8)

1

   

 13-24

78 (53.1)

69 (46.9)

3.4(2.0–5.6)

<0.001

2.7 (1.5-4.6)

<0.001

 6-12

68 (53.1)

60 (46.9)

3.4(2.0–5.7)

<0.001

2.5 (1.4-4.5)

0.001

Vaccination

 Yes

147 (41.1)

211 (58.9)

1

   

 No/incomplete

31 (70.5)

13 (29.5)

3.4(1.7–6.8)

<0.001

2.1(1.1–4.5)

0.042

Early-weaning

 No

61 (45.2)

74 (54.8)

1

   

 Yes

117 (43.8)

150 (56.2)

0.9(0.6–1.4)

0.795

-

-

Balanced diet

 Yes

5 (11.6)

38 (88.4)

1

   

 No

173 (48.2)

186 (51.8)

7.1(2.7-18.4)

<0.001

3.9(1.5-10.6)

0.007

Parent education

 College/University

3 (17.6)

14 (82.4)

1

 

1.0(0.2–4.6)

 

 Secondary

11 (30.6)

25 (69.4)

2.1(0.5-8.6)

0.32

2.4(0.6–9.2)

0.990

 Primary

128 (48.1)

138 (51.9)

4.3(1.2-15.4)

0.02

2.0(0.5–8.4)

0.193

 Non formal

36 (43.4)

47 (56.6)

3.6(0.9-13.4)

0.06

 

0.297

Family Income (month)

  ≥ 50, 000 (Tsh*)

53 (39.8)

80 (60.2)

1

   

  < 50,000 (Tsh*)

125 (46.5)

144 (53.5)

1.3(0.9 -1.9)

0.209

-

-

Single Parent

 No

119 (37.4)

199 (62.6)

1

  

<0.001

 Yes

59 (70.2)

25 (29.8)

3.9(2.3–6.6)

<0.001

3.4(1.9–5.9)

  1. *Tsh is Tanzanian shillings