Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40604971›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

"A child with severe pneumonia cannot feed, causing malnutrition": exploring health worker and caregiver perspectives and practices for mitigating malnutrition among children with severe pneumonia, a case of Uganda.

Damalie Nalwanga, Robert Opika Opoka, Andrew Sentoogo Ssemata, Lawrence Kakooza, Andrew Kiggwe, Victor Musiime, Sarah Kiguli

Abstract read
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Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Damalie NalwangaDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. damalielwanga@gmail.com.
Robert Opika OpokaDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Andrew Sentoogo SsemataMRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
Lawrence KakoozaMakerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Andrew KiggweMakerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Victor MusiimeDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Sarah KiguliDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

Health Professions Education and training for strengthening the health system and services in UgandaR25TW011213 · FIC · MAKERERE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES · PI KIGULI, SARAH · 2018 to 2022
$3.4M
FIC NIH HHS R25 TW011213Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health 1R25TW011213
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSevere pneumonia remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide. Severe pneumonia causes death during hospitalization, and survivors are prone to malnutrition after discharge from the hospital. The World Health Organization and United Nations International Children's Fund recommend 'continued' feeding following a severe pneumonia illness without specific recommendations on nutritional support. This recommendation could influence health workers' and caregivers' nutritional practices. This study aimed to explore the perspectives and practices of health workers and caregivers for mitigating malnutrition among children with severe pneumonia.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study between June and November 2021 among health workers and caregivers of children hospitalized with severe pneumonia at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. The data were collected via focus group discussions involving 17 caregivers and key informant interviews with 12 health workers and were analyzed via the content-thematic analysis approach. Both manual coding and Atlas Ti software were used to support the analysis.

resultsHealth workers and some caregivers were aware that severe pneumonia predisposes children to malnutrition to various degrees, citing reduced appetite, difficulty breathing, persistent vomiting, and increased metabolic demands as pathways. Caregivers increased breastfeeding and utilized nutrient-rich foods to prevent malnutrition, while health workers applied caregiver education and tailored pneumonia management strategies, including following available guidelines and working with nutritionists.

conclusionSevere pneumonia is recognized among health workers and some caregivers as a risk factor for malnutrition. However, mitigating strategies are not uniformly practiced by caregivers and could be enhanced by effective health education and sensitization. More specific guidelines could further reinforce the beneficial practices of health workers managing children with severe pneumonia who are not severely malnourished, and improve treatment outcomes.

Indexed as

CaregiversChild Nutrition DisordersHealth PersonnelMalnutritionPneumoniaAdultChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFocus GroupsHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHumansInfantMaleQualitative ResearchUgandaCaregiversHealth workersMalnutritionPneumoniaQualitativeUganda

Identifiers

PMID40604971
PMCPMC12225067

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