| dc.description.abstract | Malnutrition remains a consistent challenge in the world especially sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya Demographic Health Survey data collected between 1993 and 2008 indicate no significant gain in reduction of malnutrition (GOK, 2009). Although underweight seem to be on the gradual decline, there is no indication that the change in the proportion of children chronically malnourished (stunted) and wasted are on the decline. Mandera East and North districts are among Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) districts has been experiencing perennial droughts which results to loss of livelihood. The region depends mostly on Relief Aid where there, Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) levels have remained relatively high (> 15% the WHO threshold standards).
The research focused on the three factors namely; effect of health and nutrition education, influence of family economic status and family size nutrition intervention program. Each of these was studied to establish the extent at which it contributes to malnutrition intervention. To achieve this, descriptive survey was employed where from population of 350 beneficiaries, 186 was selected by proportional sampling technique to get sample size from each division; each sample unit was selected through simple random sampling technique. Quantitative data was analyzed through SPSS where and heights of children 6-59 months were analyzed to determine their Z score based on WHO WFH Z score reference while for pregnant and lactating mothers MUAC was used to determine their nutritional status.
All other indicators were analyzed by the same software based on their frequencies. The study revealed that family economic status positively influences the nutritional intervention program. On family size, the study found out that the bigger family size the higher the food demand thus higher the malnutrition cases in families with food insecurity. From the study, the following conclusion was drawn; health and nutrition education had a positive effect on the nutritional intervention program, if well done it reduces duration taken for the beneficiaries to cure. Based on the findings, the study recommended that educations programs should be emphasized as a means of community empowerment. Nutritional programs need to be integrated with programs like hygiene and sanitation's which involve toilet construction and empowering the community on the importance of maintaining high standards of hygiene and livelihood which has long term impact as opposed to short term projects which emphasize on reliance on Relief Aid thus posing high dependency syndrome. | en_US |
