Stunting in conflict setting : an integrative literature review
Pauna, Anne (2021)
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021122090258
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021122090258
Tiivistelmä
Malnutrition causes fifty percent of the under 5-year-olds children's deaths. Stunting is a form of malnutrition that causes irreversible cognitive damage and inhibits normal growth and development. In 2021 there were 149,2 million stunted under-5-year-olds globally. Approximately quarter of the world's children do not have a safe childhood, most of these children live in conflict zones. Unsafeness in childhood means an increase in malnutrition. Some 40 percent of children in the Middle East are living in conflict zones.
The goal of this research is to analyse the barriers and solutions for stunting prevention in the Middle East and North Africa region. The purpose of this thesis is to gather interventions that have been successful in reducing stunting prevalence. This thesis identifies the socio-cultural barriers that lead to nutritional choices and presents interventions done in the Middle East and North Africa to prevent stunting.
The integrative literature review was chosen as research method. The data search was conducted with Cinahl, Proquest and Sage journals databases. The key terms used were stunting, stunted, intervention, Middle East, and North Africa. From 6334 peer reviewed articles 25 were selected for this study.
The 25 publications mainly focused on analysing the stunting situation in Palestine, Iran, Yemen, and the stunting prevalence of the refugees living in the neighbouring countries of Syria and Iraq. Low breastfeeding rate and maternal education level were found as barriers. The states may have committed to nutritional interventions, but emerging conflicts have postponed them, and emergency programmes have been taken into action instead. Lack of far-reaching interventions was clear. Instead of focusing on emergency programmes, the focus should be on re-organizing basic health care such as breastfeeding and nutrition counselling.
The COVID-19-pandemic and climate change will add pressure to already difficult stunting situation in the Middle East and North Africa region. The prolonged conflicts need far-reaching nutritional-specific and multi-sectoral interventions. There is also a need for more research on effectiveness of interventions.
Keywords: stunting, conflict, intervention, Middle East, and North Africa
The goal of this research is to analyse the barriers and solutions for stunting prevention in the Middle East and North Africa region. The purpose of this thesis is to gather interventions that have been successful in reducing stunting prevalence. This thesis identifies the socio-cultural barriers that lead to nutritional choices and presents interventions done in the Middle East and North Africa to prevent stunting.
The integrative literature review was chosen as research method. The data search was conducted with Cinahl, Proquest and Sage journals databases. The key terms used were stunting, stunted, intervention, Middle East, and North Africa. From 6334 peer reviewed articles 25 were selected for this study.
The 25 publications mainly focused on analysing the stunting situation in Palestine, Iran, Yemen, and the stunting prevalence of the refugees living in the neighbouring countries of Syria and Iraq. Low breastfeeding rate and maternal education level were found as barriers. The states may have committed to nutritional interventions, but emerging conflicts have postponed them, and emergency programmes have been taken into action instead. Lack of far-reaching interventions was clear. Instead of focusing on emergency programmes, the focus should be on re-organizing basic health care such as breastfeeding and nutrition counselling.
The COVID-19-pandemic and climate change will add pressure to already difficult stunting situation in the Middle East and North Africa region. The prolonged conflicts need far-reaching nutritional-specific and multi-sectoral interventions. There is also a need for more research on effectiveness of interventions.
Keywords: stunting, conflict, intervention, Middle East, and North Africa