Assessment of Nutritional Status of Blind and Deaf School Children and Adolescents in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition and disability are inter-related, preventable global developmental and human right priorities (Groce et al., 2014). Globally, about 19% of people have a disability (UN, 2015). Studies have established a high malnutrition rate among the disabled (Hume-nixon & Kuper, 2018; Reinehr, Dobe, Winkel, Schaefer, & Hoffmann, 2010). Micronutrients deficiencies such as iodine, iron, and vitamin A deficiencies cause several disabilities including blindness and deafness which could predispose the individual to a vicious cycle of disability, malnutrition, and poverty (Bailey, West, & Black, 2015; Department for International Development, 2000; Kerac et al., 2014). The study sought to determine the nutritional status (BMI-for-age and height-for-age) of blind and deaf school children and adolescents and the association of socio-demographic characteristics with nutritional status. Method: A cross-sectional study design was used to determine the nutritional status of blind and deaf students within the age group 5-19years. Three schools in the Eastern Region of Ghana were selected purposively and 313 blind and deaf students selected with a simple random sampling method. A structured pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect anthropometric and socio-demographic data of the students. Results: The prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2SD), thinness (BMI for age <-2SD), and overweight/obese (BMI for age >1SD) in both blind and deaf students (5-19years) was 17.6%, 7.3% and 8.7% respectively. The study found that the blind students had a prevalence of thinness, stunting and overweight/obese of 7.7%, 19.6%, and 14.7% respectively, whiles the deaf students had a prevalence of thinness, stunting and overweight/obese of 7.1% 15.9% and 3.5% respectively. Both disabilities (blind and deaf) had a high prevalence rate of stunting (16.9%), thinness (7.3%) and overweight/obese (6.4%) within the age group 10-19years. Disability type (blind and deaf) (p=0.002) and practiced of trimmed fingernails of students (p=0.005) were significantly associated with BMI-for-age but not with height-for-age. Age of students was also significantly associated with BMI-for-age (p=0.029). Conclusion: The study found the prevalence of stunting, thinness, and overweight/obese in both blind and deaf students (5-19years) as 17.6%, 7.3%, and 8.7% respectively. The blind students within the age group 10-19year had higher malnutrition rate (thinness and overweight/obese) as compared to the deaf students. The nutritional status (BMI-for-age) of the disabled children and adolescents was significantly associated with age, disability type, and hygiene practice of trimming of fingernails. Keywords: Nutritional status, Stunting, Thinness, Disability, Blind, and Deaf.