WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Dr. Md. Shafiur Rahman*, Dr. Ashekur Rahman Mullick, Dr. Irin Hossain and Prof. Dr. Manzurul Haque Khan

ABSTRACT

Geographically Bangladesh is a climate sensitive country. Climate change is considered one of the most alarming global important issues of this time. Bangladesh is a naturally hazard prone country and highly affected by climate change. This cross-sectional study aimed to find out the extent of association between household food security and sociodemographic characteristics of under 5 children in a coastal area of Bangladesh. This household based cross-sectional study was conducted among 453 under five children and their respective mother/ head of household residing in 11 villages of 5 union parishad of Ashasuni upazill of Satkhira district of Bangladesh to find out the extent of association between household food security and sociodemographic characteristics of them. Children getting consent from their parents were inducted as study participants. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the food security and socio-demographic variables. Among 453 participants about 46% (210/453) people were from food secure family. About 51.4% (108) male child and 48.6% (231) female child were from food secure family. The age of respondent’s child was between 12 to 57 month and the mean age was 29.77±14.219 month and the youngest child was 12 month of age while the oldest was 57 month of age. About 41.4% (87) of the participants of 12-20 month of age group were from food secure family. About 25.2% (53) cases head of a food secure family were completed primary level of education and about 44.3% (93) were completed secondary level of education. Most of the head of a food secure family were service holder (69%, 145). About 62.4% (131) cases participants of food secure family lived in pukka house. Most of the food secure participants (80%, 168) lived in nuclear family. Most of the cases (17.6%, 37) monthly income of a food secure family was less than 10,185 taka. There was a statistically significant relationship between food security status and type of family (p=0.011), level of education of family head (p=0.000), total monthly family income (p=0.000) and housing condition (p=0.000). Occupation of family head (p=0.067) and age of child (p=0.077) had a marginal relationship with level of food security. Sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors may be a key contributor of food security status. Paternal responsibility towards family, his occupation, overall earning capacity of family, educational status of children and their housing type may contribute a significant role in household food insecurity level. Improvement of these factors may improve overall security status.

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