Determinants and Projections of Minimum Acceptable Diet among Children Aged 6-23 Months: A National and Subnational Inequality Assessment in Bangladesh.

Subnational evidence on the level of inequality in receiving complementary feeding practice among Bangladeshi children is lacking. This study estimated inequality in the minimum acceptable diet (MAD) among Bangladeshi children aged 6-23 months, and identified risk factors for and developed projections of the MAD up to 2030. Data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017-2018 were used in this cross-sectional study. Regression-based slope (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) were used to quantify the level of absolute and relative inequality, respectively. A Bayesian logistic regression model was used to identify the potential determinants of a MAD and project prevalence up to 2030. About 38% of children aged 6-23 months received a MAD. The national prevalence of a MAD was 26.0 percentage points higher among children from the richest compared to the poorest households, and 32.1 percentage points higher among children of higher-educated over illiterate mothers. Socioeconomic inequality was found to be the highest in the Chattogram division (SII: 43.9), while education-based inequality was highest in the Sylhet division (SII: 47.7). Maternal employment and the number of ANC visits were also identified as significant determinants of a MAD, and the prevalence of a MAD was projected to increase from 42.5% in 2020 to 67.9% in 2030. Approximately two out of five children received a MAD in Bangladesh and significant socioeconomic and education-based inequalities in the MAD were observed. Subnational variation in socioeconomic and education-based inequalities in the MAD requires further public health attention, and poverty reduction programs need to be strengthened.

Social Impact of Stigma Regarding Tuberculosis Hindering Adherence to Treatment: A Cross Sectional Study Involving Tuberculosis Patients in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh.

Stigma, considered a social disease, is more apparent in developing societies which are driven by various social affairs, and influences adherence to treatment. The aim of the present study was to examine levels of social stigma related to tuberculosis (TB) in sociodemographic context and identify the effects of sociodemographic factors on stigma. The study sample consisted of 372 TB patients. Data were collected using stratified sampling with simple random sampling techniques. T tests, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression analysis were performed to examine correlations between stigma and sociodemographic variables. Approximately 85.9% of patients had experienced stigma. The most frequent indicator of the stigma experienced by patients involved problems taking part in social programs (79.5%). Mean levels of stigma were significantly higher in women (55.5%), illiterate individuals (60.8%), and villagers (60.8%) relative to those of other groups. Chi-square tests revealed that education, monthly family income, and type of patient (pulmonary and extrapulmonary) were significantly associated with stigma. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that stigma was influenced by sex, education, and type of patient. Stigma is one of the most important barriers to treatment adherence. Therefore, in interventions that aim to reduce stigma, strong collaboration between various institutions is essential.

Factors associated with misconceptions about HIV transmission among ever-married women in Bangladesh.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic continues to be associated with misconceptions and misinformed opinions, which increase the risk of HIV transmission. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the determinant factors among different socioeconomic and demographic factors affecting misconceptions about HIV transmission among ever-married women in Bangladesh. Data and necessary information of 9,272 ever-married women were extracted from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011. Three types of misconceptions were considered. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were used as the statistical tools to determine the factors affecting misconceptions about HIV transmission. The results revealed that misconceptions are more prevalent among women who are older, less educated, have husbands who are less educated, live in rural areas, have poor economic conditions, and have less access to mass media. The respondent's age, education, husband's education, place of residence, wealth index, and exposure to mass media are significantly associated with the misconceptions. Finally, logistic regression analysis identified age, education, place of residence, wealth index, and exposure to mass media as significant predictors. Because socioeconomic factors are the key determinants of misconceptions about HIV transmission, intervention programs should be aimed at HIV prevention via education and awareness programs to reduce misconceptions as important parts of the prevention strategy.