Predictors of Default Rate in the Outpatient Therapeutic Management of Acute Malnutrition Among Children 6-59 Months in Lamwo and Omoro Districts-Northern Uganda
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Date
2024
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Gulu University
Abstract
Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) continues to be a significant threat to the wellbeing of children, contributing to at least 10% of the reported mortality of children under the age of five in northern Uganda. This could be exacerbated by limited information about Outpatient Therapeutic Care (OTC) default rates, poor perception of OTC programs, and other factors that perpetuate default rates. A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 244 Caregivers and hence children under five years in Omoro and Lamwo districts of Northern Uganda to examine factors leading to default rate in OTC management of acute malnutrition. Data was collected using a validated semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The OTC default rate was found to be 34%, and it is consistent across districts. Caregivers had a positive perception (MS =3.70) towards the effectiveness dimension of the OTC services, and a negative perception (MS=2.3) towards the accessibility and convenience dimension of OTC services. OTC default rates were influenced by marital status, the perceptions of caregivers towards accessibility and convenience of OTC services, distance to the OTC facility, and child’s age, presence of other health conditions (Malaria, HIV etc ) and the waiting time to see the health personnel. This indicates that OTC default rates in northern Uganda are high, and is driven by unfavorable sociodemographic, institutional, physiological, and environmental factors. These factors must therefore be considered in the design of targeted interventions such as educational programs, establishment of support systems which include reminder services, follow-up calls, and recruitment of community-based health workers to ensure all children receive comprehensive care in the management of SAM.
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Dissertation
Keywords
Outpatient Therapeutic Care, Malnutrition, SAM, Default rates, Northern Uganda