SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Mapping Malnutrition: A Cross-Sectional Review of Admissions for Childhood Malnutrition

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This cross-sectional study examined admissions for early childhood malnutrition, or failure to thrive (FTT), among children ages 0–5 admitted to Nationwide Children’s Hospital from January 2018 through June 2020. The authors used ZIP-code-level birth counts to calculate FTT admission rates per 1,000 births and compared these rates with the Child Opportunity Index (COI 2.0), a measure of neighborhood socioeconomic and community opportunity.<br /><br />Using spatial scan statistics, the study identified a cluster of higher-than-expected FTT admissions in ZIP codes south of downtown Columbus, Ohio, including ZIP code 43223, which had an FTT rate of 11.2 per 1,000 births. Across Franklin County, FTT admission rates were significantly negatively correlated with COI scores (ρ = -0.547, p < 0.001), meaning that areas with lower child opportunity had higher rates of hospitalization for growth faltering.<br /><br />The findings suggest that childhood malnutrition is not evenly distributed across Central Ohio and is more common in communities with greater social and economic disadvantage. The authors note that poor growth is often related to inadequate nutritional intake and may be influenced by factors such as food insecurity and other social determinants of health. Because malnutrition can lead to long-term complications across multiple organ systems, identifying geographic and social patterns is important for prevention.<br /><br />The study’s next steps include a qualitative review and community needs assessment with local providers and residents to better understand the underlying causes of feeding difficulty and malnutrition in these high-burden areas. The goal is to identify targeted interventions that could reduce hospital admissions and the broader burden of early childhood malnutrition.

Asset Subtitle

Kelly Grannan

Meta Tag

Author List Allison Heacock, Kelly Grannan, Sajithya Perera, Tyler Gorham

Category Research

Concept Weight Faltering

Concept Pediatric Malnutrition

Concept Child Opportunity Index

Concept Hospital Admission

Concept Spatial Scan Statistic

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Ohio State University Medical Center, Nationwide Children's Hospital Medical Center

Presenting Author Kelly Grannan

Track Pediatric

Keywords

early childhood malnutrition

failure to thrive

hospital admissions

Child Opportunity Index

socioeconomic disadvantage

food insecurity

spatial analysis

ZIP code clusters

growth faltering

Central Ohio

Weight Faltering

Pediatric Malnutrition

Child Opportunity Index

Hospital Admission

Spatial Scan Statistic