Children's Environmental Health in South and Southeast Asia: Networking for Better Child Health Outcomes.

Children are particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards because they receive higher doses of pollutants in any given environment and often do not have equitable access to social protection mechanisms such as environmental and health care services. The World Health Organization established a global network of collaborating centres that address children's environmental health (CEH). The network developed a focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and is broadening its reach by conducting regional workshops for CEH.Objective: This paper reports on the outcomes of a workshop held in conjunction with the 17th International Conference (November 2017) of the Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health, focused on the state of CEH in South and Southeast Asia as presented by seven countries from the region (India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka).Workshop outcomes: Country reports presented at the meeting show a high degree of similarity with respect to the issues threatening the health of children. The most common problems are outdoor and household air pollution in addition to exposure to heavy metals, industrial chemicals, and pesticides. Many children still do not have adequate access to clean water and improved sanitation while infectious diseases remain a problem, especially for children living in poverty. Child labour is widely prevalent, generally without adequate training or personal protective equipment. The children now face the dual burden of undernutrition and stunting on the one hand and overnutrition and obesity on the other.Conclusion: It is evident that some countries in these regions are doing better than others in varying areas of CEH. By establishing and participating in regional networks, countries can learn from each other and harmonise their efforts to protect CEH so that all can benefit from closer interactions.

Predicting factors for the experience of HIV testing among women who have given birth in Cambodia.

HIV testing and counselling is an entry point for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services, and it is important to determine predictors for HIV testing to improve the acceptance of HIV testing. The aim of this study was to assess predictive determinants for HIV testing asking mothers who had already given birth. Mothers who came to a childhood immunization in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with a child (children) aged 6-24 months were randomly selected in January and February 2006. A cross-sectional survey with a semi-structured questionnaire including a question about the experience of HIV testing was conducted to the mothers at the clinic by trained interviewers. Of the 315 respondents, 193 mothers (61.3%) had ever been tested for HIV and 265 mothers (84.1%) showed the necessary of permission by partners before HIV testing. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, basic knowledge about HIV transmission [adjusted odd's ratio (aOR): 2.875, 95% CI: 1.668-4.956] as the best predictor, the number of children (aOR: 2.186, 95% CI: 1.241-3.852) and partner's education level (aOR: 1.950, 95% CI: 1.044-3.641) remained statistically significant, however the necessity of permission by partners did not (aOR: 1.691, 95% CI: = 0.859-3.328). Since some mothers ever tested might have obtained the permission with the perception of their partners before tested, it should be still highlighted that involvement of partners is an important strategy. Education on HIV transmission to young women and men through communication and health education strategies involving partners seems to lead PMTCT services to be more acceptable.