Recovery Time and Associated Factors of Severe Acute Malnutrition among Children Aged 0-59 Months Admitted to Referral Hospitals in Tanzania. An Institution-based Prospective Cohort Study

Anthony Samson¹Azaria Mugaya¹Jackline Humphrey Mpembeni¹Eusebi Kessy¹Fredrick Ndunguru¹Dina Mahamba¹Anord Gideon Lumbe¹Mtoro J. Mtoro²Elihuruma Eliufoo Stephano^1*Julius Ntwenya¹

• ¹University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
• ²TILAM International, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Background: Malnutrition represents a pervasive global health challenge, severely impacting all age demographics. In Tanzania, Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) stands as a critical health issue, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality among children under the age of five. In light of the scarcity of local research on this topic, the present study aims to evaluate the recovery time from SAM and discern its predictors among children aged 0 to 59 months. Methods: This hospital-based prospective cohort study enrolled 92 children aged 0 – 59 months with SAM admitted at two Regional Referral Hospitals. Descriptive statistics were used to generate frequency distribution table. A Cox regression proportional hazard regression model was used to identify the factors associated with recovery time from SAM. Results: The recovery rate was 95.83%, with the average recovery time of 15 days. The predictors of recovery included children aged 25 to 55 months, which showed a tendency for quicker recovery (AHR = 1.1; 95%CI: 0.12 – 0.34; p-value = 0.001). Additionally, the children who had mothers or caregivers with a university level of education were more likely to recover quickly (AHR=1.56; 95%CI: 0.23 – 0.35; p-value = 0.003) and thus means the level of education of the mother positively influences the duration in which children take to recover from SAM. Conclusion: The recovery rate and average recovery time are acceptable international standards. Factors associated with a good chance of recovery were the advanced age of a child, and maternal education of the mother or caretaker. There is a greater need for targeted intervention in the community to prevent SAM.