Abstract:
Introduction: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a threat to child survival as mortality
rates in children with severe malnutrition are nine times higher. Globally, about 19
million children are severely malnourished.
Objective: To assess time to recovery from SAM, and its predictors, as well as the
effect of change in weight on the rate of recovery from SAM among children aged 6–59
months admitted at Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals of Amhara region, Northwest
Ethiopia.
Methods: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted among SAM children aged 6–
59 months admitted at Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals of Amhara region,
Northwest Ethiopia. A total of 480 children who enrolled in the stabilization Center from
2020 to 2023 were selected using computer generated random sampling technique.
Weibull Accelerated Model with linear mixed effect model was jointly modeled, and 95%
Confidence interval was used to select significant variables.
Results: The rate of recovery from SAM was 66.88 cases per 1,000 patients per day
(95% CI 59.42, 75.02). The current true value of weight was significantly associated
with time to recovery ( = 0.97, 95%CI [0.96, 0.98]). Age 24-59 months ( =0.62, 95%CI
[0.41, 0.92]), having edema ( , 95%CI [1.05, 4.71]), and history of pneumonia
( 95%CI [1.28, 3.38]) were significant predictors of time to recovery from SAM.
Conclusions and recommendations: The unobserved true current value of weight
change was significantly associated with the time to recovery from SAM. The incidence
rate of recovery was influenced by multiple factors. Age, presence of edema, and
history of pneumonia were significant predictors of time to recovery from SAM. Health
professionals should give greater attention to the identified risk factors for times to SAM
were recommended
