IMPACT OF ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION ON MORBIDITY FROM DIARRHEA NAD ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AMONG MALNOURISHED CHILDREN AGED UNDER 5 YEARS AT HUONG HO COMMUNNE, HUONG TRA DISTRICT, THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE

Tittle: study the impact of Zinc supplement on acute respiratory infection and diarrhea in children under 5 yrs at Huong ho commune, Huong tra district, Thua Thien Hue province. Background: diarhea and pneumonia are two common diseases in malnutrition children. The studies showed that zinc is a microsubstance to improve the immune capacicty of children. Many studies showed that malnutrition children gone with zinc deficiency. The study is aim to assess the impact of zinc supplement on malnutrition children with diarrhea and acute respiratory infection (ARI). Population and study methods: Population: 129 malnutrition children under 5 yrs living at Huong ho commune, Huong tra district, Thua Thien Hue province. Study methods: intervene at community with control group. 2 groups of children have the similarity of age, sex, level of malnutrition, avarage weight. Study group: supplement with Zinc 10 mg/day x 30 days. Control group: no zinc supplement. Both groups were followed up about diarrhea and ARI every week in 6 months. Result: In 6 months, there was 24,6% of children in study group has the diseases while in control group was 43,7% (p<0,05). Avarage time of diarrhea per period in study group was shorter significantly than in control group (4,1±0,8 vs 6,0±1,4) (p<0,01). There was no diferrence in average diarrhea period, incidence of diarrhea between study group and control group. There still did not find out the difference in ARI period, incidence of ARI between study group and control group. Conclusion: Zinc supplement for malnutrition children is to reduce the general acquired rate of diarrhea and ARI, especially to reduce the time of diarrhea period. This study did not find out the improvement of acquired ARI in study group with zince supplement. Keywords: Malnutrition, zinc, diarrhea