Why are some children under 24 months still undernourished in urban and peri-urban Vientiane? A mixed-methods study

by Kethmany Ratsavong, Dirk Essink, E. Pamela Wright, Somphou Sayasone, Sengchanh Kounnavong, Jacqueline E. W. Broerse

Child undernutrition remains a significant public health challenge in many low and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Lao PDR, where high levels persist even in urban areas with generally available and accessible food. This study aimed to explore factors underlying the persistently high rates of undernutrition among young children in urban (Saysetha) and peri-urban (Pakgneum) districts of the Vientiane Capital in Lao PDR. A cross-sectional survey employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, combining a structured questionnaire of 333 mother–child pairs for quantitative analysis with semi-structured interviews of 47 caregivers for qualitative insights. The prevalence of malnutrition among children under 24 months in Vientiane Capital was 27.3% for stunting, 4.2% for wasting, 14.4% for underweight, and 5.11% for overweight. Multiple logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with malnutrition, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The principal findings revealed that, beyond food access, the quality of caregiving and, critically, caregivers’ capacity to translate nutrition knowledge into effective practices distinguished well-nourished from undernourished children. Caregivers of better-nourished children obtained health and nutrition information from diverse sources, whereas those of undernourished children relied mainly on health services. In conclusion, strengthening practical nutrition communication in various methods and channels, such as through videos and demonstrations, and enhancing caregivers’ ability to apply nutritional knowledge, are central to improving child nutritional outcomes in urban and peri-urban settings in Lao PDR.

Experiences of Nurses With Power‐Structures in Hospital Care: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

Aim

To explore nurses' experiences with power structures in hospital care and to develop policy recommendations for transforming disempowering structures.

Design

A three-phased critical ethnographic design.

Method

Data were collected in a general teaching hospital in the Netherlands between December 2022 and June 2024 through (1) ethnographic diaries kept by nurses, (2) semi-structured interviews, (3) partial participant observations, (4) one focus group discussion with only nurses and (5) one multistakeholder focus group. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes.

Findings

Twenty-eight nurses of thirteen different departments and nine stakeholders participated. Four themes emerged from the analysis: (1) power in cooperation, (2) hierarchical relationships, (3) aggression and (4) insufficient decision-making power in hospital policies. The first theme was experienced as an empowering structural condition, while the last three were identified as disempowering structures.

Conclusion

Job satisfaction and quality of care among nurses are at risk and elicit feelings of burnout because of nurse–doctor hierarchies, aggression and insufficient decision-making power in hospital policies. Therefore, improving interprofessional cooperation and including nurses in decision-making is crucial to structurally empower nurses.

Implications

Hospital administrators need to create empowering conditions for nurses by furthering inclusion in policy making and setting department goals, implementing interprofessional education for effective collaboration, increasing nurse representation throughout hospital management layers and ensuring strong support systems. These interventions are important in addressing aggression, hierarchies, nurse turnover and burnout.

Reporting Method

COREQ guidelines were used for reporting qualitative studies.

Patient or Public Contribution

None.