Low birth weight and prenatal care in Colombia: A cross-sectional study

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the most important factors affecting child morbidity and mortality worldwide; approximately one third of neonatal deaths are attributable to it. Most research and public health policy on LBW arise from developed nations, despite that most cases (96.5%) take place in developing countries. The specific features of prenatal care that prevent LBW in developing countries are unclear. This study aims to identify the characteristics of prenatal care associated with LBW in a developing country as Colombia. Methods: Observational cross-sectional study using data from the Colombian Demographic and Health Survey 2010. A total of 10,692 children were included. Descriptive statistics were calculated, followed by bivariate regressions of LBW with all other study variables. Finally, stepwise logistic binomial regression analyses were done. Results: A LBW prevalence of 8.7% was found. Quality of prenatal care (95%CI: 0.33, 0.92; OR=0.55), number of prenatal visits (95%CI: 0.92, 0.93; OR=0.92), and first prenatal visits during pregnancy (95%CI: 1.02, 1.07; OR=1.08) were associated with LBW even after controlling for all the studied variables. The health care provider conducting prenatal checkup, and insurance coverage, were not associated with LBW. Conclusion: This research provides information on the characteristics of prenatal care (quality, number of visits, and gestational age at first prenatal visit) which may strengthen LBW prevention in Colombia and possibly in countries with similar socioeconomic characteristics. © 2015 Pinzón-Rondón et al

Factores asociados al inicio de vida sexual y al embarazo adolescente en Colombia. Estudio de corte transversal

Introduction: In Colombia, between 2008 and 2014, 23.4% of births were product of adolescent pregnancies, which have serious social, emotional and biological consequences for both the young mother and the baby. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study with analytical component, with a sample of 13,313 women between 13 and 19 years of age who answered the National Survey of Demography and Health (ENDS) 2010. Bivariate analyzes and multinomial logistic regression analysis were carried out in order to identify individual, home-related, and sexual behavior factors associated with sexual debut and adolescent pregnancy among Colombian adolescents in 2010. Results: Multivariate analysis shown that being older, living together as a couple, having suffered parental violence, and having suffered sexual violence, were risk factors for initiation of sexual life and teenage pregnancy. School attendance was found to be a protective factor for both events. Poverty, overcrowding and lack of education were associated with teen pregnancy but not with sexual debut. Conclusions: There are multiple factors associated with early sexual debut and adolescent pregnancy which are susceptible to intervention. This study presents key factors to generate prevention programs for these situations. © 2018 Sociedad Chilena de Obstetricia y Ginecologia. All rights reserved

Factores asociados al inicio de vida sexual y al embarazo adolescente en Colombia. Estudio de corte transversal

"Introduction: In Colombia, between 2008 and 2014, 23.4% of births were product of adolescent pregnancies, which have serious social, emotional and biological consequences for both the young mother and the baby. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study with analytical component, with a sample of 13,313 women between 13 and 19 years of age who answered the National Survey of Demography and Health (ENDS) 2010. Bivariate analyzes and multinomial logistic regression analysis were carried out in order to identify individual, home-related, and sexual behavior factors associated with sexual debut and adolescent pregnancy among Colombian adolescents in 2010. Results: Multivariate analysis shown that being older, living together as a couple, having suffered parental violence, and having suffered sexual violence, were risk factors for initiation of sexual life and teenage pregnancy. School attendance was found to be a protective factor for both events. Poverty, overcrowding and lack of education were associated with teen pregnancy but not with sexual debut. Conclusions: There are multiple factors associated with early sexual debut and adolescent pregnancy which are susceptible to intervention. This study presents key factors to generate prevention programs for these situations. © 2018 Sociedad Chilena de Obstetricia y Ginecologia. All rights reserved.

Acute respiratory infection in children from developing nations: a multi-level study

Background:Worldwide, acute respiratory infections (ARI) are the leading cause of death of children under 5 years of age. Aim:To assess the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goal on under-5 mortality particularly related to ARI in developing countries, and to explore the associations between country characteristics and ARI in children under 5 taking into account child, mother and household attributes. Methods:The study included a representative sample of 354,633 children under 5 years from 40 developing nations. A multilevel analysis of data from the Demographic and Health Surveys and the World Bank was conducted. Results:The prevalence of ARI was 13%. Country inequalities were associated with the disease – GINI index (95% CI 1.01–1.04). The country’s per capita gross domestic product (GDP) (95% CI 1.00–1.01) and health expenditure (95% CI 1.01–1.01) affected the relationship between immunization and ARI, while inequalities influenced the relationship between household wealth (95% CI 0.99–0.99) and the disease. Other factors positively associated with ARI were male gender, low birthweight, working mothers and a high-risk indoor environment. Factors associated with ARI reduction were older children, immunization, breastfeeding for more than 6 months, older maternal age, maternal education and planned pregnancy. Conclusions:In developing countries, public health campaigns to target ARI should consider the country’s macro characteristics. At country level, inequalities but not health expenditure or GDP were associated with the disease and were independent of child, family and household characteristics. The effect of immunization on reducing ARI is greater in countries with a higher GDP and health expenditure. The effect of household wealth on ARI is less in countries with fewer inequalities. Reduction of inequalities is an important measure to decrease ARI in developing countries. © 2016 Taylor and Francis

Low birth weight and prenatal care in Colombia: A cross-sectional study

"Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the most important factors affecting child morbidity and mortality worldwide; approximately one third of neonatal deaths are attributable to it. Most research and public health policy on LBW arise from developed nations, despite that most cases (96.5%) take place in developing countries. The specific features of prenatal care that prevent LBW in developing countries are unclear. This study aims to identify the characteristics of prenatal care associated with LBW in a developing country as Colombia. Methods: Observational cross-sectional study using data from the Colombian Demographic and Health Survey 2010. A total of 10,692 children were included. Descriptive statistics were calculated, followed by bivariate regressions of LBW with all other study variables. Finally, stepwise logistic binomial regression analyses were done. Results: A LBW prevalence of 8.7% was found. Quality of prenatal care (95%CI: 0.33, 0.92; OR=0.55), number of prenatal visits (95%CI: 0.92, 0.93; OR=0.92), and first prenatal visits during pregnancy (95%CI: 1.02, 1.07; OR=1.08) were associated with LBW even after controlling for all the studied variables. The health care provider conducting prenatal checkup, and insurance coverage, were not associated with LBW. Conclusion: This research provides information on the characteristics of prenatal care (quality, number of visits, and gestational age at first prenatal visit) which may strengthen LBW prevention in Colombia and possibly in countries with similar socioeconomic characteristics. © 2015 Pinzón-Rondón et al.

Assessment of nutrition and learning skills in children aged 5–11 years old from two elementary schools in Chocó, Colombia

Background: Malnutrition has been identified as a factor in growth and learning. The current study aimed to determine the nutritional status and basic learning skills of children from Chocó, Colombia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 631 children aged 5–11 years from two schools, collecting anthropometric measurements, nutritional quality surveys and sociodemographic data. Neuropsychological batteries were applied. Results: A total of 523 children were evaluated, with an average age of 8.49 ± 2.1 years. The results revealed that 2.9% of children were underweight, 0.4% were severely underweight, and 4.8% were diagnosed as having stunted growth. In addition, 71.8% of children were unable to draw a human figure. Beery-Buktenica Visual-Motor Integration test (VMI) performance was below the scores expected for these age groups in 73.9% of children. Battery of Differential and General Abilities (BADYG) performance revealed limited verbal skills. In a subsample of 117 children, anemia was detected in 12.8% of cases, and iron deficiency was present in 44.4% of cases. Global malnutrition was associated with impairments in BADYG performance (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.07–3.86). Conclusions: The current results revealed that learning performance was below the expected level for children in these age groups across all of the applied tests. Although malnutrition could partially explain the poor performance of children in tests of learning abilities, additional factors are likely to be involved. © 2020 The AuthorsNervous system; Pediatrics; Language development; Language learning; Educational development; Learning; Child malnutrition; Public health; Language. © 2020 The Author

Assessment of nutrition and learning skills in children aged 5–11 years old from two elementary schools in Chocó, Colombia

Background: Malnutrition has been identified as a factor in growth and learning. The current study aimed to determine the nutritional status and basic learning skills of children from Chocó, Colombia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 631 children aged 5–11 years from two schools, collecting anthropometric measurements, nutritional quality surveys and sociodemographic data. Neuropsychological batteries were applied. Results: A total of 523 children were evaluated, with an average age of 8.49 ± 2.1 years. The results revealed that 2.9% of children were underweight, 0.4% were severely underweight, and 4.8% were diagnosed as having stunted growth. In addition, 71.8% of children were unable to draw a human figure. Beery-Buktenica Visual-Motor Integration test (VMI) performance was below the scores expected for these age groups in 73.9% of children. Battery of Differential and General Abilities (BADYG) performance revealed limited verbal skills. In a subsample of 117 children, anemia was detected in 12.8% of cases, and iron deficiency was present in 44.4% of cases. Global malnutrition was associated with impairments in BADYG performance (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.07–3.86). Conclusions: The current results revealed that learning performance was below the expected level for children in these age groups across all of the applied tests. Although malnutrition could partially explain the poor performance of children in tests of learning abilities, additional factors are likely to be involved. © 2020 The AuthorsNervous system; Pediatrics; Language development; Language learning; Educational development; Learning; Child malnutrition; Public health; Language. © 2020 The Author