Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of malnourished children under five years of age

Abstract

Protein-energy malnutrition is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in childhood worldwide. An epidemiological, descriptive, longitudinal, and prospective study was conducted on 189 malnourished children under five years of age in the Jimmy Hirzel Polyclinic area, Bayamo municipality, Granma province, Cuba, during the period 2018–2023, with the objective of determining some clinical and epidemiological characteristics present in the child, the mother, and the family that could be related to the disease. Theoretical, empirical, and statistical methods were used. Among the relevant results, 36 % of the children were born prematurely and 46 % with low birth weight; 55.6 % received mixed breastfeeding up to 6 months of age, and 63.5 % had inadequate complementary feeding; males (54.5 %) and the infant and transitional age group (67.2 %) predominated; 27 % had comorbidities. Among the mothers, those aged 20–34 years (50.8 %), with a pre-university level of education (36 %), employed (40.2 %), and with pregnancy-associated illnesses (71.4 %) stood out; 32.8 % had chronic diseases. In families, 59.8 % lived in homes with fair structural conditions, 70.4 % had a medium income level, and 45.5 % lived in overcrowded conditions. It was concluded that most of the malnourished children under five years of age studied lived in personal and family conditions that favored malnutrition.