2025/09/05 by Mesfin Wudu KassawID1*, Ayele Mamo Abebe2
paper · doi:10.20372/nadre:17265
Abstract<br> Background<br> Low birth weight puts a newborn at increased risk of death and illness, and limits their productivity in the adulthood period later. The incidence of low birth weight has been selected<br> as an important indicator for monitoring major health goals by the World Summit for Children. The 2014 World Health Organization estimation of child death indicated that 4.53% of<br> total deaths in Ethiopia were due to low birth weight. The aim of this study was to assess<br> trends of proximate low birth weight and associations of low birth weight with potential determinants from 2011 to 2016.<br> Methods<br> This study used the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data (EDHS) as data<br> sources. According to the 2016 EDHS data, all the regions were stratified into urban and<br> rural areas. The variable “size of child” measured according to the report of mothers before<br> two weeks of the EDHS takes placed. The study sample refined from EDHS data and used<br> for this further analysis were 7919 children. A logistic regression model was used to assess<br> the association of proximate low birth weight and potential determinates of proximate low<br> birth weight. But, the data were tested to model fitness and were fitted to Hosmer-Lemeshow-goodness of fit.<br> Results<br> The prevalence of proximate low birth weight in Ethiopia was 26.9% (2132), (95%CI = 25.4,<br> 27.9). Of the prevalence of child size in year from 2011 to 2016, 17.1% was very small, and<br> 9.8% was small. In the final multivariate logistic regression model, region (AOR = xx),<br> (955%CI = xx), Afar (AOR = 2.44), (95%CI = 1.82, 3.27), Somalia (AOR = 0.73), (95%CI =<br> 0.55, 0.97), Benishangul-Gumz (AOR = 0.48), (95%CI = 0.35, 0.67), SNNPR (AOR = 0.67),<br> (95%CI = 0.48, 0.93), religion, Protestant (AOR = 0.76), (95%CI = 0.60, 0.95), residence,<br> rural (AOR = 1.39), (95%CI = 1.07, 1.81), child sex, female (AOR = 1.43), (95%CI = 1.29,<br> 1.59), birth type, multiple birth during first parity (AOR = 2.18), (95%CI = 1.41, 3.37), multiple<br> birth during second parity (AOR = 2.92), (95%CI = 1.86, 4.58), preparedness for birth,<br> wanted latter child (AOR = 1.26), (95%CI = 1.09, 1.47), fast and rapid breathing (AOR =<br> 1.22), (95%CI = 1.02, 1.45), maternal education, unable to read and write (AOR = 1.46),<br> (95%CI = 1.56, 2.17), and maternal age, 15–19 years old (AOR = 1.86), (95%CI = 1.19,<br> 2.92) associated with proximate low birth weight.<br> Conclusions<br> The proximate LBW prevalence as indicated by small child size is high. Region, religion, residence, birth type, preparedness for birth, fast and rapid breathing, maternal education, and<br> maternal age were associated with proximate low birth weight. Health institutions should<br> mitigating measures on low birth weight with a special emphasis on factors identified in this<br> study.<br>