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Volume 7, Issue 5 (Suppl) J Community Med Health Educ
ISSN: 2161-0711 JCMHE, an open access journal Public Health Congress 2017
November 13-14, 2017
November 13-14, 2017 Osaka, Japan
3rd World Congress on
Public Health, Nutrition & Epidemiology
Socioeconomic inequalities in childhood under-nutrition in Nigeria
Blessing J Akombi and Kingsley E Agho
Western Sydney University, Australia
Background & Aim: Under-nutrition is the underlying cause of child morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, accounting for
more than 50% of deaths among under-five year old children. This study examined socioeconomic-related inequalities in child
under-nutrition in Nigeria using the decomposition approach.
Methods: The study analyzed data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2003 to 2013. Trends in child
under-nutrition were examined against socioeconomic factors. The outcome variables were stunting (HAZ<2 SD), wasting
(WHZ<2 SD) and underweight (WAZ<2 SD) among children 0-59 months. The magnitude of child under-nutrition was
estimated via a concentration index, and the inequality was decomposed to ascertain the contribution of socioeconomic
factors to child under-nutrition over time.
Results: Socioeconomic inequality in child under-nutrition increased between 2003 and 2013. The decomposition of the
concentration index showed that the consistent contributing factors to the increase in socio-economic inequalities in child
under-nutrition were: Child’s age (0-23 months), maternal education (no education), household wealth index (poorest
household), type of residence (rural) and geopolitical zone (North East, North West).
Conclusions: This result suggests the need for a multifaceted nutrition intervention that involves improving maternal
education and the adoption of social protection policies, to reduce inequalities in child under-nutrition especially among
socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in Nigeria. This would set the country on its path to achieving the post-2015
sustainable development goals of improving children’s health.
Biography
Blessing J Akombi has a background in public health with a passion for improving maternal and child health through evidence-based research. Her current research
interest lies with epidemiology, child nutrition, international health, systematic reviews and meta-analyses. She has an MPH from the University of Newcastle,
Australia. She recently concluded a self-sponsored PhD within 2 years with a track record of 5 peer-reviewed journal articles. Her PhD research focused on child
under-nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa and provided policy insights to improve child nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on Nigeria. She has
conducted several systematic reviews and is currently involved in data collection and evaluation of the FRESH Health promotion aspects; a project funded by
Western Sydney University partnership grant.
Blessing J Akombi et al., J Community Med Health Educ 2017, 7:5 (Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2161-0711-C1-030