faithopia21/child-malnutrition-nigeria

Analysis of child malnutrition prevalence and distribution in Nigeria using 2024 DHS data # Child Malnutrition in Nigeria: A Landscape Analysis (2024 DHS) This project analyses the prevalence and distribution of child malnutrition across Nigeria using data from the 2024 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). It examines stunting, wasting, and underweight rates across regions, residence type, household wealth, maternal education, and child age. ## Project Overview Malnutrition remains one of the most significant public health challenges facing children in Nigeria. This analysis uses nationally representative survey data to answer a central question: **Where is child malnutrition most concentrated in Nigeria, and what demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with higher rates?** As I became more interested in the use of data for healthcare and public health, I found myself returning to a simple question: how evenly are health outcomes distributed across different groups of people? In this project, I use data from the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) to explore the prevalence and distribution of child malnutrition across the country. Rather than focusing only on national estimates, I wanted to understand how outcomes differ across regions, urban and rural communities, household wealth levels, maternal education groups, and child age categories. The goal of this analysis is not to explain why malnutrition occurs, but to build a clearer picture of where it is most concentrated and identify patterns that may warrant further investigation. ## Why This Matters Child malnutrition affects growth, development, educational outcomes, and long-term health. Understanding where malnutrition is most concentrated can help support more targeted interventions and better-informed public health decisions. The most interesting part about this dataset was the opportunity to look beyond national averages. National figures can be useful, but they often hide important differences between regions and population groups. Exploring those differences …