title: Pregnant women's and community health workers' perceptions of root causes of malnutrition among infants and young children in the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
abstract: Research in Bangladesh shows that malnutrition among infants and young children is most severe in urban slums. We examined the root causes of malnutrition as perceived by pregnant women and community health workers. We conducted 10 focus group discussions in the slums of Dhaka in 2008 and 2009. Participants accurately perceived inappropriate care, inappropriate environment, inappropriate food, and flooding to be major causes. Recurrent flooding has not traditionally been identified by experts as a cause of malnutrition. We recommend further research to address the nutritional risks flooding creates for vulnerable slum populations.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Global Health & Human Development, SSEHS, Loughborough University, UK. s.goudet@lboro.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sophie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Goudet
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faiz
authors.forename: Barry A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Bogin
authors.forename: Paula L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh; D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care / Q000592:standards; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D055868:Floods; D017144:Focus Groups; D005523:Food Supply; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000592:standards; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011247:Pregnancy; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult