Association between Malaria Infection, Anemia, and Nutritional Status among Children and Pre-adolescents Attending Taraba State Specialist Hospital, Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria, anemia, and malnutrition are major public health challenges among children in sub-Saharan Africa, often coexisting and interacting in complex ways that worsen health outcomes. Despite their high burden, limited facility-based data exist on their interrelationship among children and pre-adolescents in northeastern Nigeria. This study assessed the association between malaria infection, anemia, and nutritional status among children and pre-adolescents attending Taraba State Specialist Hospital, Jalingo, Nigeria. A facility-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 360 children aged 2 to 14 years selected using systematic random sampling. Malaria diagnosis was performed using microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests, hemoglobin concentration was measured using a urit-12 Haemoglobinometer, and nutritional status was assessed using body mass index (BMI) based on WHO standards. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, and associations were tested using chi-square statistics at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. The overall prevalence of malaria infection was 70.3%. Malaria prevalence was slightly higher among males (72.6%) than females (67.8%), though not statistically significant (p = 0.323). A significant association was observed between malaria infection and anemia status (χ² = 13.54; p = 0.004), with the highest prevalence recorded among moderately anemic children (75.3%). Although a higher proportion of underweight children (70.7%) were malaria-positive, the association between malaria infection and BMI was not statistically significant (p = 0.370). The study revealed a high burden of malaria among children in the study area, with a significant association between malaria infection and anemia but not nutritional status. These findings highlight the need for integrated interventions targeting malaria control and anemia management to improve child health outcomes in endemic settings.