{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T19:34:12Z","timestamp":1791401652005,"version":"4.3.3"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,13]],"date-time":"2024-03-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1710288000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100004441","name":"Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100004441","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Child stunting (chronic undernutrition) is a major public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. In Rwanda, an estimated 33% of children are affected. This study investigated the household living conditions and the impact of gender-related decision-making on child stunting. The findings contribute to ongoing discussion on this critical public health issue. In December 2021, a population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Rwanda\u2019s Northern Province; 601 women with children aged 1\u201336 months were included. Stunting was assessed using low height-for-age criteria. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) was used to determine household socioeconomic status. Researcher-designed questionnaires evaluated gender-related factors such as social support and household decision-making. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified risk factor patterns. Six hundred and one children were included in the study; 27.1% (\n                    <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                    = 163) were diagnosed as stunted; there was a higher prevalence of stunting in boys (60.1%) than girls (39.9%; p&lt;0.001). The MPI was 0.265 with no significant difference between households with stunted children (MPI, 0.263; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.216\u20130.310) and non-stunted children (MPI, 0.265; 95% CI, 0.237\u20130.293). Most households reported a lack of adequate housing (78.9%), electricity (63.0%), good water sources (58.7%), and proper toilets (57.1%). Male-headed households dominated (92% vs. 8.0%; p = 0.018), and women often shared decision-making with their partners. However, 26.4% of women reported forced sexual intercourse within marriage (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.81; 95% CI, 1.15\u20132.85). Lack of support during illness ([OR], 1.93; 95% CI, 1.13\u20133.28) and absence of personal guidance (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.41\u20134.26) were significantly associated with child stunting. Poverty contributes to child stunting in the Northern Province of Rwanda. Limited social support and women\u2019s lack of decision-making power in the household increase stunting rates. Interventions should empower women and address the broader social and economic context to promote both women\u2019s and children\u2019s health.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0290919","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,13]],"date-time":"2024-03-13T13:42:39Z","timestamp":1710337359000},"page":"e0290919","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["How do household living conditions and gender-related decision-making influence child stunting in Rwanda? A population-based study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6740-5382","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jean Nepo","family":"Utumatwishima","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ingrid","family":"Mogren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aline","family":"Umubyeyi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ali","family":"Mansourian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gunilla","family":"Krantz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0290919.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"340","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(07)61692-4","article-title":"Maternal and child undernutrition: consequences for adult health and human capital","volume":"371","author":"CG Victora","year":"2008","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"pone.0290919.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1388","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(21)00394-9","article-title":"Revisiting maternal and child undernutrition in low-income and middle-income countries: variable progress towards an unfinished agenda","volume":"397","author":"CG Victora","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"pone.0290919.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"882","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-019-7208-0","article-title":"Stunting, food security, markets and food policy in Rwanda.","volume":"19","author":"DD Weatherspoon","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0290919.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"417","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(07)61693-6","article-title":"What works? 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