Sub-optimal birth spacing and associated factors among mothers of children admitted to therapeutic feeding centers with severe acute malnutrition in Oda Bultum Woreda, Eastern Ethiopia: A cross-section study

Despite several strategies have been implemented, sub-optimal birth space continues to be a serious public health issue in Ethiopia. There is limited information regarding sub-optimal birth space among mothers of children with severe acute malnutrition in the study area. Thus, this study aimed to assess the magnitude of sub-optimal birth space and it is associated factors among mothers of children admitted to therapeutic feeding centers with severe acute malnutrition in Oda-Bultum Woreda. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 404 systematically selected reproductive-aged women of children admitted to therapeutic feeding centers with severe acute malnutrition in Oda BultumWoreda, Eastern Ethiopia. from October 5 to December 4, 2020. A pretested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used. The collected data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the association between suboptimal birth space and independent variables. A P-value < 0.05 was used to declare a statistical significance. More than half of 213 (52.7%) of the study participants practiced sub-optimal birth space. Rural residency (AOR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.11 – 3.15), Younger age at marriage (AOR: 2.92; 95%CI: 1.67––5.10), (AOR: 1.78; 95%CI: 1.07–2.95), not knowing the duration of optimal birth spacing (AOR: 4.12; 95%CI: 1.89–9.00), and breastfeeding duration (AOR: 3.36, 95% CI: 2.09–5.39), No formal education (AOR: 1.78; 95%CI: 1.07–2.95) were significantly associated with suboptimal birth spacing among mother of children with severe acute malnutrition. In this study, three out of five mothers of children with severe acute malnutrition have been practicing suboptimal birth spacing in Oda Bultum Woreda. Rural residency, lack of education, younger marital age, knowledge of ideal birth space, and breastfeeding length were the identified factors that increase the odds of having sub-optimal birth spacing. To optimize birth spacing in the study area, strategies concerning young women and rural communities are recommended for the Health center, Woreda Health Bureau, and the local NGO.