Morbidity profile of preschool children from Below Poverty Line families of Lucknow district, North India

INTRODUCTION:  Infectious diseases like diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, malaria and whooping cough have been found to be the world’s leading cause of morbidity and premature death in children especially in developing countries where large numbers of children are living in poverty. Nutritional status is a major determinant of health and well being of children, since under nutrition is an aggravating factor for childhood morbidity and mortality, especially among the poor. 

METHODS A community based cross sectional study was conducted with the objective to study the morbidity profile of preschool children from Below Poverty Line families, using multistage sampling in rural and urban areas of Lucknow district. Total 352 children aged 12-47 months from BPL families were enrolled in this study. Mothers were interviewed after taking informed consent on pretested predesigned questionnaire. All the children covered for study were examined clinically for the presence of signs of nutritional deficiency and other morbidity at the time of interview. Anthropometry was performed using standard procedures.

RESULTS:  : ARI (22.7 %) and diarrhoea (22.7%) were the most common cause of infectious morbidity observed followed by fever 10.2 percent in the children. The overall prevalence of malnutrition as indicated by children either underweight, wasted or stunted or any combination of the three was 61.9 percent and sign of anaemia was present in 50.9 percent. 

CONCLUSIONS:  

Common acute illnesses in children were diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection.Among non infectious morbidities protein energy malnutrition and anaemia were common.