Abstract

AGUILAR LIENDO, Ana María; PENA, Carmen  and  MEDRANO, Bertha. Línea de base para apoyar el manejo de la desnutrición en redes municipales de salud de la ciudad de La Paz. Cuad. - Hosp. Clín. [online]. 2009, vol.54, n.1, pp.34-41. ISSN 1562-6776.

ABSTRACT Research question: Do clinical interventions for managing malnutrition respond to the characteristics of malnutrition in children less than 5 years old in Bolivia? General aim: To determine the magnitude, types of malnutrition and direct determinants in children less than 5 years old in the South West network of the city of La Paz and to check with the attention given to this group. Study design: Descriptive Location: Health network No. 1 South West Population: Children less than 5 years old Methods: Samples were taken according to the prevalence of acute malnutrition. Surveys were taken from the mothers as well as from the health personnel, and anthropometric measurements were taken in all selected children. For this last activity the instruments were standardized and the measuring personnel were trained. Results: We studied 457 children less than 5 years old, 33% of these were less than one year old, 44% between 1 and <2 years, and 23% between 2 and 5 years. Chronic malnutrition is the most frequent type of malnutrition (15%), followed by acute malnutrition that reaches 13%, and to a lesser degree global malnutrition (7.8%). The cut-off points considered for chronic and global malnutrition are below the -2SD, and for acute malnutrition below the -1SD the section below the -1SD to -2SD represents the risk group. Discussion: The frequency of diarrhea is high, reaching 55.9% in Cotahuma. The health personnel had no knowledge and did not use indicators for identifying acute and chronic malnutrition. These indicators were not part of the norms at the time of our study. It was seen that among the direct determinants, breast feeding and complementary alimentation require more promotion. There exists discrepancy between the most frequent types of malnutrition in the South West network and the management of malnutrition offered in the health establishments. Acute diarrhea is the most relevant determinant of malnutrition in this zone. It is recommended to revise the protocols destined to control of malnutrition.

Keywords : Chronic malnutrition; acute malnutrition; global malnutrition; La Paz; Bolivia.

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