Density of cigarette retailers near facilities for children and adolescents in urban and rural areas in Indonesia: a geospatial analysis

The lack of regulation banning cigarette retailers near facilities for children and adolescents has made cigarettes easily accessible to youth in Indonesia. This study aimed to investigate the density of cigarette retailer near children and adolescent facilities in urban and rural areas in the country. We mapped all cigarette retailers and facilities for children and adolescents in Surabaya city (urban) and Banyuwangi district (rural) in East Java province. All types of facilities for children and adolescents and retailers visible from the streets in the study areas were mapped. We conducted geospatial analysis of the density of retailers to the facilities for children and adolescents in QGIS 2.8 and STATA 14. We found that the density of cigarette retailers was 81% higher in the areas within 100 m from the facilities for children and adolescents, compared with the areas within 100 to 250 m from facilities. We also found that the density of cigarette retailers within 100 m from facilities was 2.35 times higher in the rural setting, compared with the urban setting. Controlling cigarette retailers through zoning and licensing is urgently needed in Indonesia

Role of antenatal care and iron supplementation during pregnancy in preventing low birth weight in Nepal: Comparison of national surveys 2006 and 2011

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major cause of neonatal deaths in developing countries including Nepal. Its social determinants in Nepal have rarely been identified. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with low birth weight among under-five children comparing data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) of 2006 and 2011. Methods: Pooled data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) of 2006 and 2011 were analysed initially and the two survey data were then compared separately. The association between LBW and socio-demographic and health related factors were analysed using multiple logistic regression analysis with a stepwise backward elimination procedure. Complex Sample Analysis method was used to account for study design and sampling.Results: A total of 2845 children, 923 children in 2006 and 1922 children in 2011, had their birth weight recorded. The mean birth weight was 3024 (SD = 654.5) grams. A total of 12.1% (95% Confidence interval (CI); 10.6%-13.7%) children had low birth weight (<2500 grams) at the time of birth. Attending antenatal care was found to be consistently associated with low birth weight for the pooled survey data, and both 2006 and 2011 survey data, respectively. Not attending antenatal care increased the odds of having a LBW infant by more than two times [OR 2.301; 95% CI (1.526-3.471)]. Iron supplementation, which is an integral part of antenatal care in Nepal, was also significantly associated with birth weight for combined and individual surveys. Mothers not consuming iron supplementation during their pregnancy were more likely to have LBW infants [OR 1.839; 95% CI (1.282-2.363)]. Residing in the Far-western and Eastern region were also significant risk factors for LBW in the pooled dataset and in 2011 survey. Conclusions: The current study indicated there was no significant decrease in the LBW prevalence and there is a need of targeted interventions aimed at decreasing the high rate of LBW through increasing antenatal care and consumption of iron supplementation during pregnancy

Factors Associated With Small Size at Birth in Nepal: Further Analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011

Background: The global Low Birth Weight (LBW) rate is reported to be 15.5% with more than 95% of these LBW infants being from developing countries. LBW is a major factor associated with neonatal deaths in developing countries. The determinants of low birth weight in Nepal have rarely been studied. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with small size at birth among under-five children. Methods: Data from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) were used. The association between small size at birth and explanatory variables were analysed using Chi-square tests (χ2) followed by logistic regression. Complex Sample Analysis was used to adjust for study design and sampling.Results: A total of 5240 mother- singleton under five child pairs were included in the analysis, of which 936 (16.0%) children were reported as small size at birth. Of 1922 infants whose birth weight was recorded, 235 (11.5%) infants had low birth weight (<2500 grams). The mean birth weight was 3030 grams (standard deviation: 648.249 grams). The mothers who had no antenatal visits were more likely (odds ratio (OR) 1.315; 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.042-1.661)) to have small size infants than those who had attended four or more antenatal visits. Mothers who lived in the Far-western development region were more likely to have (OR 1.698; 95% CI (1.228-2.349)) small size infants as compared to mothers from the Eastern development region. Female infants were more likely (OR 1.530; 95% CI (1.245-1.880)) to be at risk of being small than males. Conclusion: One in every six infants was reported to be small at birth. Attendance of antenatal care programs appeared to have a significant impact on birth size. Adequate antenatal care visits combined with counselling and nutritional supplementation should be a focus to reduce adverse birth outcomes such as small size at birth, especially in the geographically and economically disadvantaged areas such as Far-western region of Nepal

Spatial analysis of outdoor tobacco advertisement around children and adolescents in Indonesia

There is a major gap of action by the Indonesian government to control tobacco advertisement. This study aimed to compare outdoor tobacco advertisements (OTAs) in locations with and without OTA bans in relation to their proximity to children and adolescents. Global positioning system coordinates of all OTAs visible from the streets in Banyuwangi and Surabaya in East Java province were collected and analysed to determine their density at 0–100, >100–300 and >300–500 m from facilities used by children and adolescents. Hotspot analysis was conducted to identify places with exceptionally high densities of OTAs. The number and density of OTAs in Surabaya, where there was no policy for controlling OTAs, were greater than those in Banyuwangi, where OTAs were partially banned. Regardless of the existence of a ban, OTAs were 2.6–3.4 times denser in areas closer to facilities used by children and adolescents than further apart. The OTA point hotspots approximated the hotspots of tobacco retailers and facilities used by children and adolescents in both locations. A partial ban may only have a small impact. A total advertising ban, including at point of sale, should be encouraged for both locations for optimal protection of children and adolescents

Density of outdoor food and beverage advertising around gathering place for children and adolescent in East Java, Indonesia

OBJECTIVE: To survey outdoor food and beverage advertisements ('F&B adverts') for products that may be a risk factor for obesity, diabetes and CVD located in the vicinity of gathering places for children and adolescents. DESIGN: We recorded the GPS coordinates of all F&B adverts visible from the streets at distances of 0-100, 100-300 and 300-500 m from facilities often used by children and adolescents. Those for unhealthy foods and beverages were identified. The density (number per square kilometre) of such advertisements was calculated and evaluated using hotspot analysis. SETTING: The sub-districts Mulyorejo and Sukolilo in Surabaya city and the sub-districts Banyuwangi and Giri in Banyuwangi District, Indonesia. PARTICIPANTS: None. RESULTS: The proportion of all outdoor advertisements that were F&B adverts was slightly higher in Banyuwangi than in Surabaya. Of the 570 F&B adverts recorded in Banyuwangi, 227 (39·8 %) and 273 (47·9 %) were for unhealthy foods and beverages, respectively. Of 960 F&B adverts in Surabaya, 271 (28·2 %) and 445 (46·3 %) were for unhealthy foods and beverages. In both regions, F&B advert density increased near gathering places for children and adolescents; all recreational areas had at least one set of advertisements for unhealthy beverages and food at 100-300 and 300-500 m. Both regions had one hotspot with significantly high numbers of unhealthy advertisements; Banyuwangi had one cold spot with a significantly low number of healthy advertisements. CONCLUSION: Regulations to control advertisements for unhealthy foods and beverages in areas frequented by children and adolescents are urgently needed

Maternal depression is the predominant persistent risk for child cognitive and social-emotional problems from early childhood to pre-adolescence: A longitudinal cohort study

Rationale Brain development occurs rapidly during early childhood and continues throughout middle childhood. Early and later windows of opportunity exist to alter developmental trajectories. Few studies in low- and middle-income countries have examined the importance of the timing of exposure to risks for poor pre-adolescent cognitive and social-emotional outcomes. Methods We assessed 359 children who participated in two follow-up studies of the Supplementation with Multiple Micronutrients Intervention Trial conducted in Indonesia in 2001–2004: at 3.5 years in 2006 and 9–12 years in 2012–2014. Using structural equation models, we examined indicators of early childhood (3.5 y) and pre-adolescent (9–12 y) exposure to risks (child height-for-age z-score [HAZ], hemoglobin [Hb], maternal depressive symptoms [MDS], home environment [HOME]), with two developmental outcomes: cognitive ability and social-emotional problems. We characterized patterns of change by calculating residuals of indicators measured earlier (3.5 y) predicting the same indicators measured later (9–12 y), for example, the residual of 3.5 y MDS predicting 9–12 y MDS (rMDS). Results Three early risk indicators (HOME, Hb, and MDS) were indirectly associated with pre-adolescent cognitive scores through early cognitive scores (HOME: 0.15, [95% CI 0.09, 0.21]; Hb: 0.08 [0.04, 0.12], MDS: −0.07 [-0.12, −0.02]). Pre-adolescent cognitive scores were also associated with change in MDS (rMDS: −0.13 [-0.23, −0.02]) and Hb (rHb: 0.10 [0.00, 0.20]) during middle childhood. For pre-adolescent social-emotional problems, both early childhood MDS (0.31 [0.19, 0.44]) and change in MDS during middle childhood (rMDS: 0.48 [0.37, 0.60]) showed strong direct associations with this outcome. Conclusions Our findings confirm those of previous studies that prevention of risk exposures during early childhood is likely to support long-term child development. It also adds evidence to a previously scarce literature for the middle childhood period. Prevention of maternal depressive symptoms and child anemia during middle childhood should be assessed for effectiveness to support child development