Whether it is an issue of food security, access to health care, or other social and economic factors, malnutrition is a problem that is prevalent across the world. While many communities suffer from it, there are ways in which rural communities can fight it and improve their health.
Social determinants of health
Malnutrition in marginalized communities must be addressed, which requires identifying and treating social determinants of health. These conditions affect a person’s health, and the interplay of these factors creates health inequities.
Housing stability is one of the most common indicators of an individual’s socioeconomic status. In the United States, individuals with stable employment are more likely to live in neighborhoods with access to healthy food and higher-quality schools. However, people in poverty must spend more of their income on housing.
This means that they may not have access to nutrient-dense food and may be at higher risk of food insecurity.
Poor nutrition increases a person’s vulnerability to water-borne diseases. Lack of access to affordable healthcare also increases the risk of chronic illnesses. In addition, poverty creates stress, which increases a person’s vulnerability to health problems.
Education correlates with health-promoting behaviors such as exercise and healthy eating. However, access to education can be difficult for individuals in underserved communities. Regardless, ensuring that children have access to high-quality education is critical to reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Socioeconomic factors also influence perceptions of discrimination and pathophysiologic responses to stress.
Individuals with higher socioeconomic levels have access to more social resources and are better able to handle stress and other social and economic stresses. Nevertheless, lower-income individuals have less access to social groups and are less connected to the community.
In rural communities, sanitation, hygiene, pesticides, and agrochemicals can negatively affect a person’s health. Similarly, people in isolated villages may have inadequate access to medical care.
Air pollution and air quality in urban communities can also negatively affect health. In addition, people living in underserved communities are often considered “food deserts.”
Although the root causes of health inequities emphasize socioeconomic factors, they are also essential to address. Among the root causes of health inequities are inequalities in access to education, income, and health care.
Access to limited services
Providing limited services in a given area can positively or negatively impact a community’s health and well-being. This is true in rural areas, where poor roads may make it difficult for residents of rural Malawi to access medical facilities.
Malnutrition is a problem that is prevalent in rural communities, with the highest rates of child malnutrition being found in native Americans and people of color living in rural counties. A nutrition intervention aimed at these communities should include measures to increase access to nutrient-rich foods.
In low-income countries, staple foods may be heavily relied upon and may not provide a wide range of essential nutrients for good health.
The medical community has talked about the role of social determinants in health for some time. This includes income, access to education and healthcare, and socioeconomic status. In addition to these determinants, poor road infrastructure can limit the variety of products available for consumption.
There are several ways to increase access to nutritious foods and other necessities for optimum health, including enhancing the road system. Increasing transportation may also diminish economic gaps. In rural Malawi, access to markets is also an essential factor. Developing road infrastructure can help address childhood malnutrition.
A comprehensive evaluation of the best nutritional programs and initiatives should include measures to increase access to nutrient-rich foods and other essentials for good health.
In addition to improved access to nutrient-rich foods, nutritional programs should include measures to increase access to social services. These measures may include inter-household cooperation, which can be beneficial in buffering labor shortages during peak seasons. The benefits of this type of cooperation are well documented.
Child sex, child age, and household distance from primary road access
The results were mixed among the many studies conducted on the topic above. Nevertheless, the study did make some interesting observations. In particular, the study found that the household distance from the main road was not a reliable indicator of nutritional status. Indeed, the study was the first to report on a similar topic in the country.
Nevertheless, the sample size was not large enough to generalize. A more thorough study is warranted.
The study consisted of two primary components: a survey of households along the main road. At the same time, the other involved a survey of children residing within a radius of about ten kilometers from the main road.
In total, the study sample consisted of 198 children. Among the participants, a few were selected for follow-up testing. This was done by conducting multiple questionnaires and physical vignettes (skinny, fat, and tall) to assess nutritional status and adipose tissue. Among the sample, the rate of acute childhood malnutrition was at its lowest point ever.
Despite these improvements, the study reaffirmed that malnutrition among children is still an issue.
The study also found that a well-constructed and maintained road is good, with the benefits of increased access to jobs, markets, and healthcare. Nonetheless, the study found that the distance from the main road was not associated with improved nutritional status in any of the communities surveyed.
The most effective method of improving nutritional status is to reduce the distance from the main road to the point of need. In other words, the best approach is to encourage households to walk or ride bikes to the nearest point of need instead of the traditional footpath or paved road.
Effects of household size and composition
Several studies have suggested that household size and structure affect children’s nutrition. But the relationship between these variables is not yet fully understood.
This study explores the effects of household size and structure on the nutritional status of preschoolers in Ethiopia. The study finds that the number of working adults in the household is an essential determinant of the odds of being overweight or stunting.
It also finds that the gender of the household head has an impact on the nutritional status of children. Female-headed households are more susceptible to food insecurity and malnutrition in Ethiopia.
Moreover, the age of the household head is also an important variable. Female-headed households are more likely to have overweight children than male-headed households.
In addition to the household size, the household’s education level, place of residence, and market access were also important variables. The household’s income level was also associated with food insecurity. In addition, the social factors related to food production were also discussed during interviews.
The ‘best of all worlds in food production is an efficient household structure that can feed many people. It should be noted that some households are significant due to polygamy. In some cases, households are mainly due to a lack of productive members.
The household’s structure also affected the number of dependent adults. Children from households with three or more dependent adults were significantly less likely to be overweight or stunted. In contrast, the odds of being overweight were greater in households with fewer working adults.
However, the association between household size and food insecurity is not necessarily consistent across rural and urban areas.
Maternal education in Bwamanda
Several studies have shown that maternal education contributes to reducing the prevalence of child malnutrition in developing countries. However, some researchers disagree on interpreting the direct effect of maternal education on a child’s nutritional status.
This study aimed to examine child nutrition’s social and economic context in Bwamanda, rural western DRC. Child malnutrition is measured by being underweight and wasting. The aim was to understand how nutritional status relates to household composition, educational resources, and access to land.
The Bwamanda area is home to 209,000 people, most of whom are the Ngbaka, a dominant ethnic group. This group lives in villages with the prefix bo followed by the name of the village’s leadership. The village leaders are responsible for land redistribution. In Bwamanda, the village leadership is supported by assistants.
Key informant interviews were conducted with village leaders and parents of children. Participant observation was used to map agricultural activities and food production in households. The family grew cassava and other fruits in a compound. They also hunted wild food and gathered fish. However, the family failed to provide enough food for their family.
In 2011, the family moved to the village of his father. The father acquired an agricultural plot from a relative. However, he was unable to afford fishhooks to fish. Instead, the family subsisted on cassava from fields. They ate fruit between meals. They also gathered water from a borehole well drilled by CDI-Bwamanda. The family also collected water from a reservoir used for washing clothes.
The household had no stores of maize or grain. In addition, they did not participate in Ibiza, a community project that aimed to increase household food security.
1 Comment
http://mobileautodetailingkc.com
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.