Unveiling the Role of Malnutrition in Pediatric Tuberculosis: A Study at Al Ihsan Hospital, West Java, Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29313/bcsms.v5i3.21664Keywords:
Pediatric Tuberculosis, Malnutrition, Risk FactorsAbstract
Abstract. Tuberculosis (TB) and undernutrition are significant health challenges, particularly in children. Pediatric TB remains a significant public health challenge, particularly in developing countries where malnutrition is prevalent. This study aims to shed light on the role of malnutrition in pediatric TB and identify associated factors. This study employed an observational analytic design with a case-control approach, focusing on the retrospective analysis of secondary data obtained from medical records at Al Ihsan Hospital in Bandung. The study aimed to investigate the role of undernourished in pediatric TB among pediatric TB between with bacteriology confirmed January 2018 to December 2022. Out of a total of 1,423 children, 1,153 were in the confirmed TB group and 270 in the unconfirmed group. Among the Undernourished, 9.97% (n=115) of children were confirmed TB cases, while only 2.22% (n=6) had unconfirmed TB cases. In contrast, in the non-Undernourished, 90.03% (n=1.038) were confirmed TB case and 97.78% (n=264) were uncomfirmed TB case. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between malnutrition and TB case, with a p-value of 0.001. The odds ratio (OR) of 4.87 indicates that children with malnutrition were 4.87 times more likely to be diagnosed with TB compared to those with adequate nutrition. The findings of this study demonstrate a statistically significant association between malnutrition and the incidence of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) at Al Ihsan Regional Hospital in 2020. Children with malnutrition were found to be 4.87 times more likely to have confirmed TB compared to those with adequate nutritional status, with a p-value of 0.001, indicating strong evidence of a relationship. However, this study has limitations. Being a retrospective case-control design, it cannot establish causality. Nutritional status was assessed at the time of diagnosis, which may not reflect long-term nutritional history. Additionally, other confounding factors such as socioeconomic status, comorbidities, and environmental exposures were not controlled in this analysis.
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