Abstract

The number of malnourished children in Busoga is on the increase as shown by records at
Jinja Referral Hospital have shown. Four (4) out of the ten (10) children admitted to the
hospital are severely malnourished. To combat the problem of protein-energy malnutrition
in this community, risk factors associated with it must be identified. A quantitative crosssection
study approach was conducted in order to determine the factors influencing
malnutrition among children under five years visiting the paediatric ward at JRRH. The study
was conducted among children under five years visiting the pediatric ward at Jinja Regional
Referral Hospital, with 150 respondents considered. Data was collected through a researcheradministered
questionnaire specifically tailored to meet the objectives of the study and
supported by anthropometric measurements and clinical evaluation and diagnoses. The
demographic features of participants included females (58%) and males (42%). About 48% of
the under-fives admitted to the paediatric ward at the hospital were aged between 13 and 36
months, followed by those above 36 months (38%) and the least were 12 months and below
(14%). The prevalence of PEM was 16% with children aged between 13– 36months contributing
the highest cases of PEM (56%). The Children who had not been fully immunized were found
associated with increased cases of PEM. A child’s immunization status was found to be of
great importance as a high number of children that did not suffer from PEM were fully
immunized. Most caregivers were peasant farmers (50%), aged between 25 and 29 years (40%),
and who lived in a rural area (84%), on an average monthly income of between 100,000 –
500,000 UGX (73%) and monthly food expenditure of 50,000UGX or more. The prevalence of
Protein Energy Malnutrition among under-five children admitted at JRRH was 16%, which
warrants immediate mitigating measures