Needs, acceptability, and value of humanitarian medical assistance in remote Peruvian Amazon riverine communities.

Much debate exists regarding the need, acceptability, and value of humanitarian medical assistance. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 457 children under 5 years from four remote riverine communities in the Peruvian Amazon and collected anthropometric measures, blood samples (1-4 years), and stool samples. Focus groups and key informant interviews assessed perspectives regarding medical aid delivered by foreigners. The prevalence of stunting, anemia, and intestinal parasites was 20%, 37%, and 62%, respectively. Infection with multiple parasites, usually geohelminths, was detected in 41% of children. The prevalence of intestinal parasites both individual and polyparasitism increased with age. Participants from smaller communities less exposed to foreigners expressed lack of trust and fear of them. However, participants from all communities were positive about foreigners visiting to provide health support. Prevalent health needs such as parasitic infections and anemia may be addressed by short-term medical interventions. There is a perceived openness to and acceptability of medical assistance delivered by foreign personnel.

Passive smoking as a risk factor of anemia in young children aged 0-35 months in Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Passive smoking unfavorably affects pregnancy, child birth and child health. Passive smoking associates with still-birth, premature birth as well as acute respiratory infection, asthma, disorder in red blood cell metabolism in children. This study examined the effects of passive smoking on anemia in young children in Jordan. METHODS: The analysis based on the information from 740 children aged 0-35 months that were tested for hemoglobin levels included in the 2002 Jordan Population and Family Health Survey. This study used multivariate logistic regression method to analyze the effect of passive smoking on anemia in young children in Jordan, controlling for a number of risk factors and confounding factors for anemia. RESULTS: Results indicated that independent of other risk factors and confounding factors, anemia in young children was strongly positively associated with exposure to passive smoking from both parents (OR= 2.99, p < 0.01). Severely undernourished children were at higher risk of anemia independent of passive smoking and other risk factors (OR= 5.29, p < 0.05). Children age 24-35 months, children born to mothers age 35-49, and children lived in households with a hygienic toilet facility were less likely to suffer from anemia. CONCLUSION: Passive smoking from both parents was strongly positively associated with anemia in young children in Jordan independent of other risk factors and confounding factors. The results support the importance of smoking prevention during and after pregnancy that prevent childhood anemia and others morbidities in young children.

Impact of prenatal care on infant survival in Bangladesh.

Despite improvements in public health in recent decades, levels of infant and child mortality remain unacceptably high, particularly in developing countries where primary healthcare services including prenatal care services are not universally available. Using information on 7,001 childbirths in five years preceding the 2004 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, this study examined the relationship between receiving prenatal care during pregnancy and infant mortality using multivariate survival analysis. The results are presented in hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results indicate that children of mothers who did not receive prenatal care during pregnancy were more than twice as likely to die during infancy as children whose mothers received prenatal care during pregnancy (HR=2.40, 95% CI: 1.74, 3.31) independent of child's sex, delivery assistance, birth order; mother's age at child birth, nutritional status, education level; household living conditions, and other factors. Children born to older mothers living in households without safe drinking water were at an increased risk. The study concludes that prenatal care is strongly negatively associated with infant mortality in Bangladesh independent of other risk factors. The results suggest that improving prenatal care services at the community level is key to improving child survival in Bangladesh.

[Bronchial asthma. Its pattern in 2 rural areas]. / Asma bronquial. Comportamiento en 2 zonas rurales.

A survey was carried out in order to determine if bronchial asthma represents a health problem in two rural areas under the medical assistance of family doctors' offices (Argeo Martínez and Manguito del Guaso). All the case histories in the zones under study were reviewed. It was found that, in spite of the low prevalence in both areas, there is a diseased for each 28 persons, being female the most affected.