title: Risk factors for malnutrition in children at Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea: a case-control study.
abstract: Fifty children admitted for malnutrition were age matched with 50 admitted for other reasons. These children were more likely to be female (p = 0.003), born low birth weight (p = 0.02), after a short birth interval (p = 0.014) and to be incompletely vaccinated (p < 0.001) than control children, and to be living in rural villages or settlement housing (p < 0.001) with inadequate water supply (p < 0.001) and sanitation (p = 0.037), with overcrowding (p = 0.016) and low household income (p = 0.04). Their parents were more likely to have had no or only rudimentary education than parents of control children [Odds ratio (OR) 3.58 for mothers, 4.12 for fathers]. Parental consumption of alcohol as well as smoking in the mother was more common in the malnourished children. Running water in the house was an independent protective factor (OR 0.23) and the fathers' poor employment status (OR 4.12) an independent risk factor. The solution to malnutrition involves improving community understanding of nutrition and in reducing social inequalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Olita'a
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Child Health Division of Clinical Sciences School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea johndvince@gmail.com.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vince
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Child Health Division of Clinical Sciences School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Paulus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ripa
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Child Health Division of Clinical Sciences School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Nakapi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tefuarani
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009035:Mothers; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010219:Papua New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Papua New Guinea; children; malnutrition; risk factors