Post-conflict nutritional status of school-age children in North Wollo zone, Northeast Ethiopia : a multi-center cross-sectional study

dc.contributor.authorDejazmach, Zelalem
dc.contributor.authorAyal, Birtukan Gizachew
dc.contributor.authorKassahun, Woldeteklehaymanot
dc.contributor.authorKumie, Getinet
dc.contributor.authorKassa, Muluemebet
dc.contributor.authorYayeh, Berihun Mulu
dc.contributor.authorAhmed, Seada Seid
dc.contributor.authorGela, Abebe Worku
dc.contributor.authorDebash, Habtu
dc.contributor.authorAyalew, Selamawit
dc.contributor.authorAmeshe, Asmamaw
dc.contributor.authorAlamrew, Abebaw
dc.contributor.authorAsfaw, Mulu Shiferaw
dc.contributor.authorFeleke, Sefineh Fenta
dc.contributor.authorReta, Melese Abate
dc.date.accessioned2025-08-29T10:03:08Z
dc.date.available2025-08-29T10:03:08Z
dc.date.issued2025-08
dc.descriptionDATA AVAILABILITY : Data cannot be publicly shared due to ethical considerations; however, it can be requested directly from the author through the Woldia University Research and Community Service Office, Woldia, Ethiopia (seadaseid814@gmail.com).
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND : Conflict invariably disrupts food production in affected areas, exacerbates food insecurity, and results in population displacement. In 2021, the invasion of the Amhara region by the Tigrayan armed group led to widespread impoverishment of much of Amhara population. The conflict particularly exacerbated malnutrition rates in the North Wollo Zone. Despite this, studies focusing on undernutrition in conflict-affected areas within the Zone have not yet been documented. Therefore, this study assessed post-conflict nutritional status of school-age children in Northeast Ethiopia. METHODS : Cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2022 within the community, involving 584 school-age children. Socio-demographic data was collected through a structured questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements were transformed into indices using the World Health Organization’s Anthro-software. Descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were conducted with a 95% confidence interval. A p-value of less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant in the multivariate regression models. RESULTS : Among the 584 participants, 45.7% (95% CI: 42.0–50.0) were found to be stunted, while 33.0% (95% CI: 29.3–37.0) were classified as thin. Stunting was significantly associated with being: age 10–14 years (AOR = 6.16, 95% CI: 3.89–9.78); male (AOR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.03–2.22); having an employed father (AOR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.46–7.92); having farmer father (AOR = 4.70, 95% CI: 2.61–8.47). The odds of thinness were significantly higher among children who were male (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.23–3.03); lived in rural areas (AOR = 2.84, 95% CI: 1.55–5.20); had a mother who was a housewife (AOR = 4.38, 95% CI: 2.09–9.18) or a merchant (AOR = 4.84, 95% CI: 1.72–13.61); had a merchant father (AOR = 14.06, 95% CI: 6.97–28.35) or employed (AOR = 11.41, 95% CI: 4.33–30.07); and lived in a food-insecure household (AOR = 6.17, 95% CI: 3.84–9.90). CONCLUSIONS : Undernutrition is significant public health concern among school-age children in the conflict-affected study area. Stunting and thinness were significantly linked to factors such as the child’s sex, age, parents’ occupational status. These findings underscore the pressing need to implement health and nutrition programs aimed at enhancing the nutritional status of school-age children in the conflict-affected region.
dc.description.departmentMedical Microbiology
dc.description.librarianhj2025
dc.description.sdgSDG-02: Zero Hunger
dc.description.sdgSDG-03: Good health and well-being
dc.description.sponsorshipWoldia University.
dc.description.urihttps://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/
dc.identifier.citationDejazmach, Z., Ayal, B.G., Kassahun, W. et al. Post-conflict nutritional status of school-age children in North Wollo zone, Northeast Ethiopia: a multi-center cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 25, 2717 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-24104-1.
dc.identifier.issn1471-2458 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1186/s12889-025-24104-1
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/104060
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBioMed Central
dc.rights© The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
dc.subjectUndernutrition
dc.subjectSchool-age children
dc.subjectNorth wollo zone
dc.subjectEthiopia
dc.titlePost-conflict nutritional status of school-age children in North Wollo zone, Northeast Ethiopia : a multi-center cross-sectional study
dc.typeArticle

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