[An analysis of low birth weight in Colombia, 2005-2009]. / Análisis del bajo peso al nacer en Colombia 2005-2009.

OBJECTIVE: Analysing Colombia's low birth weight pattern over a five-year period (2005 to 2009) and identifying the determinants and risk factors associated with such low birth weight rate. METHODS: This was a retrospective descriptive study which used the information contained in live birth certificates. Ratios were calculated for each selected variable and a multivariate logistic regression model was used for determining the associated predictors. RESULTS: The low birth weight rate was 8.6 % on average, this being higher in urban areas (8.9 %) and in the new born of mothers affiliated to the Colombian social security health insurance system's contributory regime (9.2 %). The low birth weight rate was higher in mothers lacking education (9.7 %) and those having a university or higher level of education (9.1 %). The predictors associated with the full-term newborn were caesarean delivery (OR 1.49), being female (OR 1.47), having attended less than four prenatal visits (OR 1.32), those being pregnant for the first time (OR 1.28) and being a single mother (OR 1.17). CONCLUSIONS: The low birth weight rate has increased each year and is linked to factors such as type of delivery, a child's gender, the number of prenatal visits, the number of previous live births, marital status, educational level and maternal age. These factors should form the target for Colombian public health policy and intervention.

Modalidades de evaluación de las iniciativas latinoamericanas promotoras de la práctica de la lactancia materna / Ways of evaluating Latin-American initiatives for promoting breastfeeding

En este trabajo se analizan las diferentes modalidades utilizadas para evaluar las iniciativas que promueven la práctica de la lactancia materna, a partir del año 1990 en América Latina. Para cumplir con este propósito, se llevó a cabo una revisión de la literatura basada en un protocolo de búsqueda, selección y análisis de las diferentes experiencias de evaluación. Se seleccionaron 58 evaluaciones para su estudio y comparación. Entre los hallazgos, cabe señalar que los tipos de evaluación más usados fueron los de efectividad y de impacto y la evaluación se hizo, en especial, a programas educativos o de consejería en lactancia materna. Igualmente, las evaluaciones se realizaron a iniciativas que contemplaban dos o tres estrategias de la Promoción de la Salud, relacionadas con el desarrollo de habilidades personales y la reorientación de servicios de salud. Los resultados obtenidos ofrecen una visión general de la manera en que son evaluadas las iniciativas que promueven la práctica de la lactancia materna, a la luz de la literatura existente acerca de la evaluación en Promoción de la Salud.

This work has analyzed the different methods used since the 1990s for evaluating initiatives aimed at promoting breastfeeding in Latin-America. A review was made of the pertinent literature using a protocol based on researching, selecting and analyzing different ways of making such evaluation. Fifty-eight evaluations were selected for study and comparison. It is worth noting that the most commonly used types of evaluation concerned initiative effectiveness and impact; assessment was particularly aimed at educational or breastfeeding counseling programs. Evaluation also concerned initiatives encompassing two or three healthcare promotion strategies related to developing personal skills and the reorientation of healthcare services. The results provided an overview of the way initiatives promoting breastfeeding have been evaluated related to the pertinent literature regarding how healthcare promotion is evaluated.

[Ways of evaluating Latin-American initiatives for promoting breastfeeding]. / Modalidades de evaluación de las iniciativas latinoamericanas promotoras de la práctica de la lactancia materna.

This work has analyzed the different methods used since the 1990s for evaluating initiatives aimed at promoting breastfeeding in Latin-America. A review was made of the pertinent literature using a protocol based on researching, selecting and analyzing different ways of making such evaluation. Fifty-eight evaluations were selected for study and comparison. It is worth noting that the most commonly used types of evaluation concerned initiative effectiveness and impact; assessment was particularly aimed at educational or breastfeeding counseling programs. Evaluation also concerned initiatives encompassing two or three healthcare promotion strategies related to developing personal skills and the reorientation of healthcare services. The results provided an overview of the way initiatives promoting breastfeeding have been evaluated related to the pertinent literature regarding how healthcare promotion is evaluated.