Author(s)

Dorothy Mbaya^1,2*, Lucy Kivuti Bitok², Anna K. Karani², Boniface Osano³, Michael Habtu⁴

¹Chuka District Hospital, Chuka, Kenya.
²School of Nursing Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
³Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁴Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.

Severe acute malnutrition is a widely prevalent problem in developing countries and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Traditionally, children with severe acute malnutrition were rehabilitated within inpatient services. Advent of ready to use therapeutic food made it possible to treat majority of these children in their homes. However, there is limited data about the outcomes of the program. Objectives: To determine the outcomes (recovery, default, mean weight gain and non-response rates) of severely malnourished children aged 6 - 59 months enrolled in outpatient therapeutic program at Kitui County Hospital. Methodology: A prospective longitudinal study design was carried out for one month. Hundred and four (104) children with SAM were recruited in the study. Anthropometric measurements, physical examination and appetite test of the children were conducted on a weekly basis for 28 days. Descriptive analysis was conducted using means, frequency and proportions. Paired t test was computed for mean weight gain and mid-upper arm circumference between admission and subsequent visits. Results: The findings of the study revealed that the recovery rate was 73.3%, weight gain rate of 5.1 g/kg/day, defaulter rate was 2.9% and non-response rate was 13.9% (WHZ = -3SD). Mean weight increased from 6.8 kg on the 1^st visit to 7.5 kg in the 4^th visit (P = 0.000) and the meanmid-upper arm circumferenceincreased from 11.1 cm at admission to 11.9 cm at 4^th visit (P = 0.000). Conclusion: The recovery and weight gain rates were below the global acceptable SPHERE of minimum standards (recovery rate > 75% and weight gain rate > 8 g/kg/day). The defaulter rate was within the acceptable international standards (<15%).

Default, Outcomes, Recovery Rate, Severe Acute Malnutrition, Weight Gain

Mbaya, D. , Bitok, L. , Karani, A. , Osano, B. and Habtu, M. (2015) Outcomes of Severely Malnourished Children Aged 6 - 59 Months on Outpatient Management Program in Kitui County Hospital, Kenya. Open Journal of Pediatrics, 5, 326-333. doi: 10.4236/ojped.2015.54049.