Construction and validation of the area level deprivation index for health research: A methodological study based on Nepal Demographic and Health Survey.

Area-level factors may partly explain the heterogeneity in risk factors and disease distribution. Yet, there are a limited number of studies that focus on the development and validation of the area level construct and are primarily from high-income countries. The main objective of the study is to provide a methodological approach to construct and validate the area level construct, the Area Level Deprivation Index in low resource setting. A total of 14652 individuals from 11,203 households within 383 clusters (or areas) were selected from 2016-Nepal Demographic and Health survey. The index development involved sequential steps that included identification and screening of variables, variable reduction and extraction of the factors, and assessment of reliability and validity. Variables that could explain the underlying latent structure of area-level deprivation were selected from the dataset. These variables included: housing structure, household assets, and availability and accessibility of physical infrastructures such as roads, health care facilities, nearby towns, and geographic terrain. Initially, 26-variables were selected for the index development. A unifactorial model with 15-variables had the best fit to represent the underlying structure for area-level deprivation evidencing strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93). Standardized scores for index ranged from 58.0 to 140.0, with higher scores signifying greater area-level deprivation. The newly constructed index showed relatively strong criterion validity with multi-dimensional poverty index (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.77) and relatively strong construct validity (Comparative Fit Index = 0.96; Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.94; standardized root mean square residual = 0.05; Root mean square error of approximation = 0.079). The factor structure was relatively consistent across different administrative regions. Area level deprivation index was constructed, and its validity and reliability was assessed. The index provides an opportunity to explore the area-level influence on disease outcome and health disparity.

The double burden of malnutrition among women of reproductive age and preschool children in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review and thematic analysis of literature.

The aim of this review was to map the literature on the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) among women of reproductive age (WRA) and preschool children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study aimed to provide an understanding of how DBM construct has been defined in the current literature and to elucidate plausible mechanisms underlying DBM development and its common risk factor among the two subgroups. We systematically searched for literature from the following databases: EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, LILACS, Scopus and ProQuest Dissertations & Thesis Global and identified articles that specifically reported on the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition sequalae at the population, household, or individual levels among WRA and preschool children in LMICs. A thematic analysis using the Braun and Clarke approach was conducted on excerpts from the articles to reveal emerging themes underlying the occurrence of DBM from the included studies. Of the initial 15 112 articles found, 720 met the inclusion criteria. Anthropometric measures for overnutrition and undernutrition including body mass index for WRA and height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height Z-scores for preschool children were frequently used indicators for defining DBM across all levels of assessment. In fewer cases, DBM was defined by the pairing of cardiometabolic risk factors (e.g., hypertension) as measures for overnutrition and micronutrient deficiency (e.g., iron deficiency) as measures for undernutrition. The following themes emerged as plausible mechanisms for DBM development: nutrition transition, breastfeeding, diet behavior, biological mechanism, and statistical artifact. Factors such as child age, child sex, maternal age, maternal education, maternal occupation, household food security, household wealth, urbanicity, and economic development were commonly associated with most of the DBM phenotypes. Our review findings showed that the understanding of the DBM in current literature is very ambiguous. There is need for future research to better understand the DBM construct and its etiology.

Does the place of residence influence your risk of being hypertensive? A study-based on Nepal Demographic and Health Survey.

Even though several studies have examined various risk factors for hypertension, residential influence is poorly explored especially in the low-income countries. We aim to investigate the association between residential characteristics and hypertension in resource limited and transitional settings like Nepal. A total of 14,652 individuals aged 15 and above were selected from 2016-Nepal Demographic and Health Survey. Individuals with blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or a history of hypertension (as identified by physicians/health professionals) or under antihypertensive medication were defined as hypertensive. Residential characteristics were represented by area level deprivation index, with a higher score representing higher level of deprivation. Association was explored using a two-level logistic regression. We also assessed if residential area modifies the association between individual socio-economic status and hypertension. Area deprivation had a significant inverse association with the risk of hypertension. Individuals from the least deprived areas had higher odds of hypertension compared to highly deprived areas 1.59 (95% CI 1.30, 1.89). Additionally, the association between literacy a proxy of socio-economic status and hypertension varied with a place of residence. Literate individuals from highly deprived areas were likely to have a higher odds of hypertension compared to those with no formal education. In contrast, literate from the least deprived areas had lower odds of hypertension. These results identify counterintuitive patterns of associations between residential characteristics and hypertension in Nepal, as compared with most of the epidemiological data from high-income countries. Differential stages of demographic and nutritional transitions between and within the countries might explain these associations.

Examining the double burden of malnutrition for preschool children and women of reproductive age in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: The majority of the populations in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) are encountering the double burden of malnutrition (DBM): the coexistence of both undernutrition and overnutrition sequalae. With DBM being a new phenomenon in research, little is known about its aetiology, operational definitions and risk factors influencing its manifestation. The proposed scoping review is aimed at mapping literature with regard to the DBM phenomenon among preschool children and women of reproductive age in LMICs who are among the most high-risk groups to encounter DBM. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search will be conducted in the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, LILACS and ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis Global. Additionally, searches in other government and institutional sources (WHO website and university repositories) and forward and backward citation tracking of seminal articles will also be done. Two reviewers will independently conduct title and abstract screening and full-text screening. Similarly, data extraction and coding will independently be done by two reviewers. Information extracted from included literature will be analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis approach and reported as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for this study because the review is based on literature from publicly available sources. The dissemination of our findings will be done through presentations in relevant conferences and publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Fertility is a key predictor of the double burden of malnutrition among women of child-bearing age in sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND: The ongoing nutrition transition in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is exhibiting spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability leading to different forms of malnutrition burden across SSA, with some regions exhibiting the double burden of malnutrition. This study aimed to develop a predictive understanding of the malnutrition burden among women of child-bearing age. METHODS: Data from 34 SSA countries were acquired from the Demographic and Health Survey, World Bank, and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The SSA countries were classified into malnutrition classes based on their national prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity using a 10% threshold. Next, random forest analysis was used to examine the association between country-level demographic variables and the national prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity. Finally, random forest analysis and multinomial logistic regression models were utilized to investigate the association between individual-level social and demographic variables and Body Mass Index (BMI) categories of underweight, normal weight, and combined overweight and obesity. RESULTS: Four malnutrition classes were identified: Class A had 5 countries with ≥10% of the women underweight; Class B had 11 countries with ≥10% each of underweight and overweight; Class C1 had 7 countries with ≥10% overweight; and Class C2 had 11 countries with ≥10% obesity. At the country-level, fertility rate predicted underweight, overweight and obesity prevalence, but economic indicators were also important, including the gross domestic product per capita - a measure of economic opportunity that predicted both overweight and obesity prevalence, and the GINI coefficient - a measure of economic inequality that predicted both underweight and overweight prevalence. At the individual-level, parity was a risk factor for underweight in underweight burdened countries and a risk factor for overweight/obesity in overweight/obesity burdened countries, whereas age and wealth were protective factors for underweight but risk factors for overweight/obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Beyond the effect of economic indicators, this study revealed the important role of fertility rate and parity, which may represent risk factors for both underweight and combined overweight and obesity among women of child-bearing age. Health professionals should consider combining reproductive health services with nutritional programs when addressing the challenge of malnutrition in SSA.