3223.0 - Assessing the relationship between severe acute malnutrition, active malaria infections, and climate variables in under-five children in Rajasthan
Session: One Health Poster Session 2a: Food Systems & Nutrition
Author: Debbie Humphries
Presenter: Nandini Sinha
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Abstract
Background
The syndemic of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and malaria in under-five children co-occurring with the impacts of climate change in Rajasthan presents a critical public health challenge. Current SAM and malaria programs are implemented as vertical interventions despite the potential benefits of integrated approaches, particularly in the context of climate variability. A better understanding of the interactions between these factors is important to strengthen the delivery of integrated services.
Objective: This study investigates the relationship between under-five SAM, malaria infections, and climate variables at the block level in Rajasthan to inform targeted, integrated interventions. By running regression analyses and spatiotemporal clustering of malaria and malnutrition hotspots, we will identify associations between these co-occurring health threats and recommend priority regions to guide state-level policy integration.
Methods
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze data for under-five children spanning 6 years (2013-2019) at the block level for the state of Rajasthan using a repeated cross-sectional design. These data have been retrieved from the Health Management Information System (HMIS) government portal and are used to examine seasonal and geographic trends, revealing more granular insights into the relationship between these variables over six years. The following hypotheses are tested using mixed-effects regression and spatiotemporal analyses: (1) Blocks with higher under-five SAM cases are more likely to experience higher malaria prevalence; (2) Under-five malaria infections and SAM exhibit seasonal variations influenced by climate factors; and (3) Spatiotemporal clustering of hotspots can identify priority regions for integrated interventions.
Results and Implications
Findings will enhance the currently limited understanding of the under-five SAM -malaria-climate nexus at the block level and provide insights to support integrated intervention strategies, improving child health outcomes in Rajasthan’s evolving syndemic.