SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING CHILD MALNUTRITION IN TEHSIL ADENZAI DISTRICT DIR (LOWER), KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

This study investigates the socioeconomic factors influencing child malnutrition in Tehsil Adenzai, District Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 231 mothers through structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Quantitative findings revealed that 44.6% of children weighed between 7 and 9 kg, and 28% of mothers were underweight. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting was significantly higher among children from low-income families and those whose mothers lacked formal education, with 40% of mothers identified as illiterate. Nearly one-third of children had experienced recent episodes of diarrhea, and 62.3% of mothers reported no prenatal check-ups. Qualitative analysis highlighted pervasive poverty, food insecurity, limited dietary diversity, gender-biased caregiving, poor health-seeking behaviors, and inadequate access to safe water and sanitation as primary drivers of malnutrition. The study concludes that multi-sectoral, community-based interventions targeting poverty reduction, women’s education, improved health services, and enhanced water and sanitation infrastructure are critical for sustainable progress in combating child malnutrition in the region. The results underscore the urgent need for integrated policies that address both the immediate and structural determinants of undernutrition to break the cycle of poverty and poor health.