Risk Factors of Bustinduy et al for Undernutrition and Anemia in Children Living in Kenya

 

Patient selection: pediatric patients in Kenya

 

Outcome: anemia, wasting (acute undernutrition), and/or stunting (chronic malnutrition)

 

Risk factors varied in their significance depending on the gender of the patient, but in general risk factors for anemia or signs of undernutrition were:

(1) lower socioeconomic status (SES)

(2) infection with Schistosoma haematobium

(3) coinfection with hookworm and Plasmodium falciparum

(4) coinfection with Schistosoma haematobium and Plasmodium falciparum

 

Low SES places a person at greater risk for both parasitic infection and poor diet.

 

Detection of the adverse outcomes and/or their risk factors can help to identify those children most likely to benefit from an intervention.