Maternal knowledge on child survival in the poorest areas of North and Northeast Brazi / Conhecimento materno em sobrevivência infantil: o caso de áreas pobres nas regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil

This study aimed to evaluate knowledge on child survival among mothers of children under five years of age living in nine municipalities in North and Northeast Brazil. A standardized questionnaire was used for home interviews of mothers visited by volunteers from the Pastorate of the Child and mothers not visited by the program (control areas). The association between independent variables and the outcome (visited versus not visited by the Pastorate of the Child) was evaluated using the chi-square test. Among the 752 mothers studied, 386 were visited by Pastorate of the Child volunteers and 366 were not visited. Mothers visited by the Pastorate of the Child, although poorer, showed better knowledge on monitoring child growth and identifying child development difficulties as compared to mothers from the control areas. Despite the better performance of mothers visited by the Pastorate of the Child volunteers, maternal knowledge on child survival in both groups was less than desirable. This hinders the identification of more serious cases, delays seeking medical care, and reduces the impact on child morbidity and mortality.

Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o conhecimento em sobrevivência infantil entre mães de menores de cinco anos residentes em nove municípios das regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil. Aplicou-se questionário padronizado no domicílio para mães acompanhadas pelos líderes da Pastoral da Criança e não acompanhadas (áreas-controle). A associação entre as variáveis independentes e o desfecho (receber ou não visita dos líderes da Pastoral da Criança) foi avaliada pelo teste do qui-quadrado. Dentre as 752 mães estudadas, 386 eram visitadas pelos líderes da Pastoral da Criança e 366 não eram visitadas. Mães visitadas pelos líderes da Pastoral da Criança, apesar de mais pobres, apresentaram melhor conhecimento sobre monitoração do crescimento infantil, identificação de pneumonia e dificuldade no desenvolvimento em relação às mães das áreas-controle. Apesar do melhor desempenho entre mães visitadas pelos líderes da Pastoral da Criança, o conhecimento materno em sobrevivência infantil para todas elas ficou aquém do desejado. Isso dificulta a identificação dos casos de maior gravidade, retarda a busca de cuidados médicos e reduz o impacto sobre a morbimortalidade infantil.

Maternal knowledge on child survival in the poorest areas of North and Northeast Brazil.

This study aimed to evaluate knowledge on child survival among mothers of children under five years of age living in nine municipalities in North and Northeast Brazil. A standardized questionnaire was used for home interviews of mothers visited by volunteers from the Pastorate of the Child and mothers not visited by the program (control areas). The association between independent variables and the outcome (visited versus not visited by the Pastorate of the Child) was evaluated using the chi-square test. Among the 752 mothers studied, 386 were visited by Pastorate of the Child volunteers and 366 were not visited. Mothers visited by the Pastorate of the Child, although poorer, showed better knowledge on monitoring child growth and identifying child development difficulties as compared to mothers from the control areas. Despite the better performance of mothers visited by the Pastorate of the Child volunteers, maternal knowledge on child survival in both groups was less than desirable. This hinders the identification of more serious cases, delays seeking medical care, and reduces the impact on child morbidity and mortality.

Saúde infantil em áreas pobres das regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil: comparando indicadores básicos em áreas atendidas pela Pastoral da Criança e áreas - controle / Child health in poor areas of North and Northeast Brazil: a comparison of areas covered by the Children's Mission and control areas

Os diagnósticos comunitários de saúde são essenciais para o conhecimento de indicadores locais de saúde, avaliação de programas e implementação de ações em saúde. Em meados de 2002, realizou-se diagnóstico de saúde infantil em 18 áreas de nove municípios pobres nas regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil. Nove dessas áreas eram visitadas pelos líderes da Pastoral da Criança (LPC) e as outras não. Por meio de questionários padronizados, entrevistadores previamente treinados coletaram informações no domicílio sobre 1.528 crianças menores de cinco anos, sendo 782 visitadas pelas LPC e 772 não visitadas. Essas crianças e suas famílias viviam em situação de extrema pobreza; 40,0 por cento dos seus pais não eram alfabetizados, a renda per capita diária era de US$ 0,30, as condições de moradia, muito ruins. No entanto, a maioria dessas crianças vivia a menos de 1km de algum serviço público de saúde, e praticamente todas aquelas levadas à consulta médica conseguiram atendimento. O pré-natal foi inadequado em termos quantitativos e qualitativos. Crianças visitadas pelas LPC apresentaram melhor monitoração do crescimento, suas mães fizeram mais consultas de pré-natal e receberam mais freqüentemente sulfato ferroso.

[Child health in poor areas of North and Northeast Brazil: a comparison of areas covered by the Children's Mission and control areas]. / Saúde infantil em áreas pobres das regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil: comparando indicadores básicos em áreas atendidas pela Pastoral da Criança e áreas-controle.

Community surveys are essential to estimate health indicators, evaluate health programs, and define health interventions. In 2002, a cross-sectional survey of children under five was conducted in 18 areas of the poorest counties in North and Northeast Brazil. Nine areas were visited by volunteer community health workers (CHW) under the Children's Mission, and the others were not visited. Using a standard questionnaire, trained interviewers collected information at the household level for 1,528 children, 782 of whom were visited monthly by CHWs and 772 were not. All the children and their families were living below the poverty line; 40.0% of the parents were illiterate, per capita daily income was about US$0.30, and household conditions were substandard. However, most were living less than 1km from a public health service and almost all children who were referred to these services received medical care. Prenatal care was also poor in terms of number of medical visits and laboratory tests. Children visited by CHWs from the Children's Mission received better care in terms of growth monitoring, number of medical check-ups, and prenatal iron supplementation.