Version 1
: Received: 23 July 2020 / Approved: 24 July 2020 / Online: 24 July 2020 (14:49:10 CEST)
Version 2
: Received: 12 August 2020 / Approved: 17 August 2020 / Online: 17 August 2020 (10:08:36 CEST)
Melo, P.; Sousa, M.I.; Dimande, M.M.; Taboada, S.; Nogueira, M.A.; Pinto, C.; Figueiredo, M.H.; Nguyen, T.H.; Martinéz-Riera, J.R. Descriptive Study of Children’s Nutritional Status and Identification of Community-Level Nursing Diagnoses in a School Community in Africa. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2020, 17, 6108.
Melo, P.; Sousa, M.I.; Dimande, M.M.; Taboada, S.; Nogueira, M.A.; Pinto, C.; Figueiredo, M.H.; Nguyen, T.H.; Martinéz-Riera, J.R. Descriptive Study of Children’s Nutritional Status and Identification of Community-Level Nursing Diagnoses in a School Community in Africa. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 6108.
Melo, P.; Sousa, M.I.; Dimande, M.M.; Taboada, S.; Nogueira, M.A.; Pinto, C.; Figueiredo, M.H.; Nguyen, T.H.; Martinéz-Riera, J.R. Descriptive Study of Children’s Nutritional Status and Identification of Community-Level Nursing Diagnoses in a School Community in Africa. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2020, 17, 6108.
Melo, P.; Sousa, M.I.; Dimande, M.M.; Taboada, S.; Nogueira, M.A.; Pinto, C.; Figueiredo, M.H.; Nguyen, T.H.; Martinéz-Riera, J.R. Descriptive Study of Children’s Nutritional Status and Identification of Community-Level Nursing Diagnoses in a School Community in Africa. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 6108.
Abstract
Effectively responding to children’s nutritional status and eating behaviors in Mozambique requires a community-based care approach grounded in sound nursing research that is evidence-based. The Community Assessment, Intervention, and Empowerment Model (MAIEC) is a nursing theoretical model that bases clinical decision-making for community health nurses using communities as a unit of care. We used the MAIEC to identify a community-based nursing diagnosis to address children’s nutritional status and eating behaviors in Mozambique. Objectives: (1) To conduct a descriptive study of children’s nutritional status and eating behaviors in a school community in Mavalane, Mozambique, and (2) to identify a community-based nursing diagnosis using the MAIEC clinical decision-making matrix in the same school community. Method: A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of children using anthropometric data, including brachial perimeter and the tricipital skinfold, and standard deviation for the relation of weight-height, in a sample of 227 children. To assess community management of the problem and identify a community-based nursing diagnosis, we surveyed 176 parents/guardians and 49 education professionals, using a questionnaire based on the MAIEC clinical decision matrix as a reference. Results: Malnutrition was identified in more than half of the children (51.3%). We also identified a community-based nursing diagnosis of impaired community management related to the promotion of child health and healthy eating as evident by lack of community leadership, participation, and processing among more than 70% of the community members (parents/guardians and education professionals). Conclusion: A nursing diagnosis and diagnostic criteria for nutritional status and community management were identified. The need to intervene using a multidisciplinary public health approach is imperative, with the school community as the unit of care. In addition, reliable anthropometric data were used to complement the nursing diagnosis and guide future public health interventions.
Keywords
Nutritional Surveillance; Public Health; Community Health Nursing; Public Health Nursing; Children’s health; Community Participation
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Primary Health Care
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Commenter: Pedro Melo
Commenter's Conflict of Interests: Author