Indicator’s Wording
average length of stay in the treatment program for recovered children aged 6-59 months
Indicator’s Purpose
The indicator measures the average duration of the children's stay in the treatment program before they were discharged as “recovered”. It is an important sign of the treatment program's quality.
How to Collect and Analyse the Required Data
Calculate the total number of days all children discharged as “recovered” spent in the treatment (i.e. from admission to discharge) and divide it by the number of children discharged as “recovered”.
Disaggregate by
Disaggregate the data by geographical area, gender and age groups.
Important Comments
1) The indicator does not require a separate survey – all data can be gained from the treatment program's regular records.
2) The length of stay in outpatient therapeutic programs (OTPs) usually ranges from 45 – 60 days (about 6.5 – 8.5 weeks). Considerably longer duration can indicate OTP's limited quality.
Access Additional Guidance
- SCH (2015) Standardised Indicators and Categories for Better CMAM Reporting (.pdf)
- ACF (2011) Guidelines for the Integrated Management of SAM (.pdf)
- Global Nutrition Cluster
- FAO (2008) Guidelines for Estimating the Month and Year of Birth of Young Children (.pdf)
This guidance was prepared by People in Need ©
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