ArticleBMJ global health2020
Long-term outcomes for children with disability and severe acute malnutrition in Malawi.
Article in BMJ global health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- The association between disability and mortality among children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Restoration of anti-bacterial innate immune cell function lags behind nutritional recovery among children convalescing from complicated severe acute malnutrition.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Article
- Postmalnutrition weight gain is associated with changes to muscle and energy metabolism in adolescence: a cohort analysis.The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2026Article
- Undernutrition and Feeding Difficulties Among Children with Disabilities in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Children with disabilities in nutrition programmes: Thematic analysis of training and guidelines.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Long-term survival after therapeutic failure during hospitalization for severe acute malnutrition: Lwiro cohort follow-up in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.BMC nutrition · 2025Article
- Health status of adults exposed to severe acute malnutrition during childhood in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo: the Lwiro cohort study.BMJ public health · 2025Article
- Theories, determinants, and intervention models and approaches on inequalities of undernutrition amongst under fives: A literature review.Health science reports · 2024Article
- Are children with disabilities more likely to be malnourished than children without disabilities? Evidence from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in 30 countries.BMJ nutrition, prevention & health · 2024Article
- Nutritional Status and Dietary Behaviors of Children with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2024Review
- Nutritional care for children with feeding difficulties and disabilities: A scoping review.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- Physical Activity and Exercise Participation among Malaysian Children (Able-Bodied vs. Physical Disability): A Cross-Sectional Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
introductionSevere acute malnutrition (SAM) and disability are major global health issues. Although they can cause and influence each other, data on their co-existence are sparse. We aimed to describe the prevalence and patterns of disability among a cohort of children with SAM.
methodsA longitudinal cohort study in Malawi followed SAM survivors up to 7 years postdischarge. Clinical and anthropometric profiles were compared with sibling and community controls. Disability at original admission was identified clinically; at 7-year follow-up a standardised screening tool called 'the Washington Group Questionnaire' was used.
results60/938 (6.4%) of admissions to SAM treatment had clinically obvious disability at admission. Post-treatment mortality was high, with only 11/60 (18%) surviving till 7-year follow-up. SAM children with a disability at admission had 6.99 (95% CI 3.49 to 14.02; p<0.001) greater risk of dying compared with children without disability. They were also older, less likely to be HIV positive or have oedema and more severely malnourished. Long-term survivors were more stunted, had less catch-up growth, smaller head circumference, weaker hand grip strength and poorer school achievement than non-disabled survivors.The Washington Group Questionnaire confirmed disability in all who had been identified clinically, and identified many who had not been previously flagged.
conclusionDisability is common among children affected by SAM. Those with disability-associated SAM have greatly increased risk of dying even if they survive the initial episode of malnutrition. Survivors have poorer growth, physical strength and school achievement. To enable all children to survive and thrive post-SAM, it is vital to focus more on those with disabilities. SAM treatment programmes should consider using not just clinical assessment but structured assessments to better identify at-risk individuals as well as understand the population of children for which they are developing services.
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