Assessment Of Nutritional Status Of Blind And Deaf School Children And Adolescents In The Eastern Region Of Ghana

ABSTRACT Background: Malnutrition and disability are inter-related, preventable global developmental and human right priorities (Groce et al., 2014). Globally, about 19% of people have a disability (UN, 2015). Studies have established a high malnutrition rate among the disabled (Hume-nixon & Kuper, 2018; Reinehr, Dobe, Winkel, Schaefer, & Hoffmann, 2010). Micronutrients deficiencies such as iodine, iron, and vitamin A deficiencies cause several disabilities including blindness and deafness which could predispose the individual to a vicious cycle of disability, malnutrition, and poverty (Bailey, West, & Black, 2015; Department for International Development, 2000; Kerac et al., 2014). The study sought to determine the nutritional status (BMI-for-age and heightfor-age) of blind and deaf school children and adolescents and the association of sociodemographic characteristics with nutritional status. Method: A cross-sectional study design was used to determine the nutritional status of blind and deaf students within the age group 5-19years. Three schools in the Eastern Region of Ghana were selected purposively and 313 blind and deaf students selected with a simple random sampling method. A structured pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect anthropometric and sociodemographic data of the students. Results: The prevalence of stunting (height for age