Stunting and Associated Factors Among Children Aged 6-59 Months From Households in Productive Safety Net Program and Non-productive Safety Net Program in Meta District, East Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia: a Comparative Cross – Sectional Study.

Abstract Background : Undernutrition is one of the major public health problems affecting children in developing settings. Despite impressive interventions such as productive safety net program (PSNP) in Ethiopia, there is paucity of information on the prevalence of stunting and its predictors among children aged 6-59 months born to beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the program in Ethiopia. Methods: Community based comparative cross sectional study design was used among randomly selected 1555 children aged 6 to 59 months from households using and not using PSNP respectively in Meta distinct from 5 th -20 th of March, 2017. Data were collected using pre-tested structured questionnaire. Measuring board was used to measure the length/height of the children. Length/height for age z-score was generated using world Health Organization (WHO) Anthros version 3.2.2. Descriptive statistics was used to describe all relevant data. Bivariable and Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to predictors of the outcome variable. Odds ratio along with 95% confidence interval were estimated to measure the strength of the association. Level of statistical significance was declared at p-value less than 0.05. Result : The prevalence of stunting was 47.7%, 95% CI: (44.1%, 51.5%) among children from PSNP beneficiary households and 33.5%, 95% CI: (29.9%, 36.9%) from non-PSNP households respectively. Lack of maternal education [AOR = 3.39; 95% CI: (1.12, 5.11)], lack of women’s empowerment [AOR= 3.48; 95% CI: (2.36, 5.12)], non-attendance of antenatal care fourth visit [AOR= 4.2, 95% CI (2.5, 6.8)], practicing hand washing [AOR= 0.46; 95% CI: (0.28, 0.76)], childhood illness [AOR= 8.41; 95%CI: (4.58, 12.76)], non-exclusive breastfeeding [AOR= 3.6; 95% CI: (2.30, 4.80)], low dietary diversity score [AOR= 4.7; 95% CI (3.0, 7.40)] , and child ‘s age between 24 to 59 months [AOR = 3.2; 95% CI (1.6, 6.3)] were predictors of stunting. Conclusions : The prevalence of stunting was high among children from PSNP households in the study area. Stunting was significantly associated with maternal socio-demographic and obstetric and child related factors. Therefore, empowering women on household’s issues and improving infant and young child feeding practices could reduce the magnitude of stunting and its impacts on child health.