Impact of Healthcare Services and Utilisation of Preventive Health Measures on the Risk of Severe Acute Malnutrition in Laisamis Sub-County, Marsabit County, Kenya

Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) continues to be a public health problem of concern, especially in children under five years of age worldwide. The World Health Organisation estimates that every year millions of children suffer from SAM and a significant share of malnutrition-related deaths are to be found in Africa. SAM rates are high in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties in Kenya, including Marsabit, where repeated drought, poverty, food insecurity and inadequate health services are leaving children vulnerable to poor nutrition status. The study assessed the effect of health services and utilisation of preventive health interventions on the risk of severe acute malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months in Laisamis Sub-County, Marsabit County. A cross-sectional design was used for the study, with 385 participants selected by simple random sampling and purposive sampling. Structured questionnaires were used to gather data, which were analysed using SPSS version 28. The results showed that children in the age group 19-42 months were more likely to be severely acutely malnourished than their under-five counterparts, and males were more likely to be severely acutely malnourished than females. Regarding health services, whilst a good proportion of households had moderate access to health facilities, the levels of health service use for preventive services (routine child checkups, nutrition education) were low. Factors associated with the risk of severe acute malnutrition included limited access to health services, poor nutrition education and low utilisation of preventive health services. The study concludes that strengthening healthcare infrastructure, nutrition education, preventive healthcare utilisation, and addressing household food insecurity are key strategies for combating severe acute malnutrition among children in Laisamis Sub County and other ASAL areas.