Page 173 - GHES-2-1

Global Health Econ Sustain Household food insecurity and Under-five Mortality

831 live births recorded, 60 (7.2%) under-five deaths were The study’s findings demonstrate a definitive correlation
reported. Birth order analysis indicated that 773 (90.8%) between breastfeeding and the survival status of children,
children were born in first and second birth order, with with statistical significance observed at p < 0.05. Children
approximately 41.0% born at a 2-year interval. The majority under five who received breastfeeding within an hour
of respondents (42.0%) experienced their first birth of birth were found to have a significantly lower risk of
between the ages of 24 and 24. According to the current mortality by 85% compared to those who did not receive
survey data, a notable proportion of 92.8% of under-five immediate breastfeeding. Furthermore, the age of the child
children were found to be alive out of the total of 831 live was also found to significantly influence their survival
births (Table 2). status at p < 0.05. Specifically, a one-unit increase in the
age of the child was associated with a 2.29-time reduction
3.2. Factors contributing to under-five mortality in in the risk of under-five mortality.
Lideta Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The study revealed that the male sex category was
A Pearson Chi-square test (χ ) was conducted to ascertain significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of
2
potential variables for inclusion in the logistic regression. under-five mortality, with odds 80% lower than those
Based on predetermined criteria, variables such as associated with the female sex category. Children born as
maternal education, age at first birth, antenatal care service, first- and second-order births exhibited a 94% decrease
initiation of breastfeeding, age, and sex of the child, type in the likelihood of experiencing under-five mortality
of birth, preceding birth interval, birth order, household compared to those born as third-order or higher. Moreover,
food insecurity status, and the number of children ever the odds of under-five mortality were 2.17 times higher
born were deemed suitable for inclusion. After adjusting when women had more than four children.
for confounding factors, including maternal education,
age at first birth, initiation of breastfeeding, age and sex of Furthermore, the study found that women residing in
the child, birth order, the number of children ever born, households with insufficient access to food were 3.89 times
and household food insecurity status, under-five mortality more likely to experience under-five mortality in
was significantly affected at p < 0.05 (Table 3). Efforts comparison to those residing in households with reliable
were made to assess whether the necessary assumptions access to adequate food. Logistic regression analysis also
for applying logistic regression were met. In this context, indicated a variation in the probability of childhood
the Hosmer and Lemeshow test of goodness of fit was mortality in relation to different levels of educational
performed to check the fitness of the model, yielding a attainment. Increasing educational attainment from no
result of 0.576. Nagelkerke R-squared model explained formal education to tertiary-level education was associated
73.2% of the variation in observed data, providing insight with a substantial reduction of 96% in the probability of
into factors contributing to under-five mortality. under-five mortality. In addition, the age at which a

Table 2. Bio demographic characteristics of the under‑five children (N=831)

Variables Under‑five mortality Chi‑square test
Alive Dead Total
n % n % n % χ 2 p‑value
Birth type 69.18 0.000*
Twin 38 65.5 20 34.5 58 7.0
Single 733 94.8 40 5.2 773 93.0
Birth interval 7.29 0.007*
<2 years 113 91.9 10 8.1 123 41.0
>2 years 174 98.3 3 1.7 177 59.0
Birth order 2.188 0.139*
<2 720 93.1 53 6.9 773 90.8
>2 71 91.0 7 9.0 78 9.2
Sex of child 19.34 0.000*
Female 354 97.3 10 2.7 364 43.8
Male 417 89.3 50 10.7 467 56.2
Notes: *p<0.25, indicating a significant association. The birth interval was calculated for non-first births only.

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2024) 6 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.1682