Vitamin A Supplementation Coverage and Ocular Signs among Children Aged 6–59 Months in Aleta Chuko Woreda, Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background. Periodic vitamin A supplementation to children is a cost-effective strategy to avert vitamin A deficiency. However, few pieces of evidence are available about the coverage of vitamin A supplementation at the community level in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess vitamin A supplementation coverage and prevalence of ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency among children aged 6–59 months. Methods. Community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted using a two-stage stratified random sampling method. Data were collected from mothers with children aged 6–59 months using a structured pretested questionnaire. A total of 665 children aged 6 to 59 months were examined for clinical signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency by trained clinical health professionals. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were done. Result. Vitamin A supplementation coverage in the study area was 36.2% (95% CI: 32.6–39.9). Overall, the prevalence of xerophthalmia was 2.7%. Age group 6–23 months (AOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4–2.9), good maternal knowledge (AOR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2–2.1), children with high wealth status (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4–3.8), precampaign health education on vitamin A (AOR: 3.4,95% CI: 2.1–5.6), member of Health Development Army (AOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.7–4.2), and access to health facility within <30 minutes (AOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.6–3.8) were significantly associated with the receipt of vitamin A capsule. Conclusion. Vitamin A supplementation coverage of the study area was low as compared to the UNICEF threshold of 70%. Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in the study area. Increasing maternal level of knowledge, precampaign health education on vitamin A supplementation, and strengthening Health Development Army are recommended to increase the vitamin A supplementation coverage.

A multilevel analysis of factors associated with vitamin A supplementation among children aged 6–35 months in Ethiopia

“…The finding has supported another study conducted in Ethiopia and elsewhere in SSA (14,38). The variation could be associated with a lack of awareness and paying less attention among young mothers (30,39). This might become a huge loss when we consider that teenage pregnancy is common in Ethiopia (40).…”

“…This might be related to the culture of Ethiopia where after delivery a mother exposes herself late during the postpartum period. A study conducted somewhere showed a different association (14,39). Nevertheless, the health extension workers and the women development armies should pay attention to the good uptake of VAS among lower-aged children.…”

Vitamin A supplementation among 9-59 month old children in India: geospatial perspectives and implications for targeted coverage

“…Although regarded as an important public health nutritional intervention, the usefulness of the dated vitamin A policy (that encourages routine practice of universal VAS) is being increasingly questioned,19 47–50 with calls for more nuanced and sustainable alternatives. It is true that the coverage of VAS, even in the recent past, was found to influence the prevalence of VAD-related health problems like childhood blindness in some affected nations 51 52. But there are also concerns (in India and elsewhere) that the routine practice of administrating massive vitamin A doses indiscriminately has outlived its intended usefulness and that its further continuation may actually put children at risk of developing vitamin A toxicity 19 47–50 53–55.…”

Vitamin A supplementation coverage and its associated factors among children aged 6–59 months in West Azernet Berbere Woreda, South West Ethiopia

“…Moreover, the uptake of vitamin A supplementation is influenced by socio-economic, demographic, and geographical factors. Such as ANC follow-up [ 26 , 27 ] parental educational status [ 12 , 28 , 29 ], maternal knowledge [ 2 , 30 ], monthly income and wealth index [ 2 , 12 , 29 ], maternal employment status [ 27 , 29 ], media exposure [ 27 – 29 ], age of the child [ 12 , 28 – 31 ], place of delivery [ 27 ], and distance to the health institution [ 30 , 32 ].…”