DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RURAL AND URBAN AREAS IN OYO STATE.

Background: Developmental delay, characterized by a child's failure to achieve expected milestones in one or more developmental domains, is prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, where two-thirds of children under five are at risk, exacerbated by limited early screening.

Objectives: This study assessed the prevalence and factors associated with developmental delay among under-five children in rural and urban areas of Oyo State, Nigeria.

Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study utilizing cluster sampling was used to select 1,839 children aged 3 to 4 years. A semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Nigeria Demographic Health Survey, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Early Childhood Development Index (MICS ECDI), and a literature review were used to collect data on child demographics, nutritional characteristics, and developmental delay across four domains (physical, social-emotional, learning approach, and literacy-numeracy). Analysis was done using STATA which included descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The mean age was 3.5 ± 0.5 years with slight male predominance in both rural (51.1%) and urban (51.4%) areas. Overall developmental delay was comparable in rural (39.8%) and urban (36.6%) areas. Physical delay was the most common (rural: 55.7%, urban: 52.5%), while learning approach delay was the least prevalent (rural: 15.9%, urban: 18.3%). Child's age, wealth quintile and exclusive breastfeeding predicted overall developmental delay in both rural and urban LGAs.

Conclusions: There is little variance in the overall prevalence of developmental delay across rural and urban areas, though it remains prevalent in both settings. While risk factors are similar, tailored interventions are necessary to address them effectively.