الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 204 |  |  |
| | | from | 204 | | |
Abstract
Stunting is an irreversible outcome of inadequate nutrition and repeated bouts of infection during the first 1000 days of a child’s life. Growth monitoring is an essential element of child health care and evaluation of that process is needed. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate detection and referral processes of cases of stunting among a sample of children aged less than 5 years attending maternal and child Healthcare centers in Cairo. Method: a cross sectional study included mothers and their children aged less than 5 years attending two primary healthcare centers were observed during their growth monitoring process to assess the quality of documentation (14 items), anthropometric measurements (11 items for height and 8 for weight measurements), plotting of measurements (3 items), interpretation (4 items) and referral of detected cases (2 items) using observational checklist. Interview questionnaire for healthcare workers to assess their knowledge and skills in the process of detection of stunting. Results: Observed growth monitoring process were undertaken for 300 children, they were (51%) boys and (49%) girls, 78% were revealed delivery by caesarean section, 44% were breastfed only. Study revealed that height for age Z-score < -2 were 27 (9.3%), weight for age Z-score < -2 were 5 (1.7%), weight for height Z-score < -2 were 5 (1.7%) and body mass index for age Z-score was 4 (1.3%). By Observational checklist results for growth monitoring process for documentation revealed (28.5%) of items were not done, (53.7%) were well done and (17.8%) were satisfactorily done. For measuring height (9%) of items were not done, (45.5%) were poor done, (9%) were satisfactorily done and (36.5%) were well done. For measuring weight (25%) of items were not done, (6.2%) were poorly done, (12.5%) were satisfactorily done and (56.3%) were good done. For plotting on growth chart (66.7%) of items were not done and (33.3%) were well done. For Interpretation of the growth pattern and referral (100%) of items not done. Recommendation: Among the areas in need for improvement are in the documentation process as well as fulfilling all items of standardized anthropometric measurements, referral of cases and up-to-date and periodic staff training is also a mandate.