TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION............................................................................................................................I

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................III

DEDICATION.............................................................................................................................IV

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT........................................................................................................... V

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...........................................................................................................VI

LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................IX

LIST OF FIGURES....................................................................................................................IX

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................... X

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION ...............................................................................................XI

ABSRACT ................................................................................................................................. XII

CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM ................................................................................ 2

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT.................................................................................................... 3

1.3 STUDY OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................... 3

1.3.1 Broad Objective.............................................................................................................. 3

1.3.2 Specific Objectives......................................................................................................... 3

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................... 4

1.5 HYPOTHESIS....................................................................................................................... 4

1.6 JUSTIFICATIONS................................................................................................................ 4

1.7 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK:......................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 6

LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 6

2.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 6

2.1 PREVALENCE OF SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION.................................................. 6

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2.2 CO MOBIDITIES ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE MALNUTRITION. ............................ 7

CHAPTER THREE...................................................................................................................... 9

3.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 9

3.1 STUDY DESIGN .................................................................................................................. 9

3.2 STUDY AREA...................................................................................................................... 9

3.3 STUDY SETTINGS AND POPULATION........................................................................... 9

3.4 SAMPLE SIZE DETERMINATION .................................................................................. 10

3.5 SAMPLING METHOD....................................................................................................... 10

3.6 STUDY VARIABLES ........................................................................................................ 10

3.7 TOOLS AND METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION....................................................... 11

3.8 DATA PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS........................................................................... 11

3.9 INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA ................................................................... 11

3.9.1 INCLUSION CRITERIA ............................................................................................. 11

3.9.2 EXLUSION CRITERIA............................................................................................... 11

3.10 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY..................................................................................... 11

3.11 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION......................................................................................... 12

3.12 QUALITY CONTROL...................................................................................................... 12

CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................................... 13

RESULTS .................................................................................................................................... 13

4.0 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 13

4.1 SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHICS .............................................................................................. 13

4.2 TYPES OF ACUTE MALNUTRITION ............................................................................. 16

CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 19

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS .................................................................................................... 19

5.0 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 19

5.1 DEMOGRAPHICS ................................................................................................................... 19

5.2 PREVALENCE OF FORMS OF ACUTE MALNUTRITION .............................................................. 19

5.3 PREVALENCE OF INFECTION AMONG CHILDREN WITH ACUTE MALNUTRITION....................... 20

5.4 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORMS OF ACUTE MALNUTRITION AND DURATION OF HOSPITAL

ADMISSION ................................................................................................................................. 20