Child health in urban areas

To successfully address the challenges of rapid population ageing, it is essential to have an understanding of health status. In this study, we describe regional variations in health status by assessing self-rated health and functional disability of older population in India. The study uses the data from the World Health Organization sponsored “Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE-INDIA)” of 2007. This pioneering survey gathered information from 6560 persons (aged 50 years and over) from six Indian states. Analysis indicates that older population from urban areas is more likely to experience better health status and lower disability. Education plays a very crucial role in better health status and lower disability, irrespective of urban-rural differences. It also shows that higher years of education and better economic status of the households are positively related with better health condition and lower disability. Social security measures, including pensions and health insurance are crucial to ensure quality of life and well-being of older population in India.

Immunization is a cost effective way of preventing childhood infections. WHO recommends the BCG vaccination against tuberculosis. Statistics for Kenya show that the BCG vaccine usually given at birth or at first clinical contact is high. Timeliness of a vaccine remains imperative, Studies have shown that while vaccines like the BCG may have non-specific beneficial effects, the benefits can be realized more when received on time.
This paper seeks to understand the effects of low birth weight on time to BCG vaccination
The study was carried out in an informal settlements in Nairobi, data from the Maternal and Child Health project . All women from the area who gave birth since September 2006 were enrolled in the study. Survival analysis techniques were used to assess any differences in the time taken before a child receives a BCG vaccine. A total of 4415 children were included in the analysis. Among the children with a birth weight from a card 6% were LBW. 98% of the children in the study had received a BCG vaccination.

In data poor areas, the use of statistical models is often determined by the quantity and quality of the data.. Here, we explore the pros and cons of three model outcomes, which allow us to evaluate the range of predictions and how they would significantly influence our research conclusions. Using food security survey data for Accra, Ghana collected in 2003, we examine the information derived from spatial, hierarchical, and econometric models respectively. While the data source is the same, the outcomes are different, highlighting the caution researchers must use when determining an appropriate statistical approach. The spatial model delivered vital information on the geographic distribution of food security across the urban landscape, highlight areas of particular concern “hotspots” with statistically significant values. Our use of the hierarchical, or multi-level, model separated the effects of household versus neighborhood variables, allowing us to distinguish the level at which variables were most influential. Lastly, our econometric model emphasized the economic trends among household based on estimated values of household wealth. Together, these three models allow us to draw a more complete picture of food security patterns in Accra, and to draw important and more comprehensive conclusions for policy recommendations.

In Turkey, Bursa city is a member of the healthy cities. It was the capital city of Ottoman Empire.There are some historical villages inside in Bursa city border that are conserved by the immovable cultural and historical assets commission that belong to the Ministry of the Culture and Tourism,in Turkey. These villages are very old and have older people when compared the Bursa city population completly. In this study it will be included in three of them. It will be compared the differences,similarities in the perspectives of population density,population decline,structures of the population among them in period of time.In these villages,it will be criticized the issues poverty reduction, housing problems, environmental managements, creating liavable and healthy environments, facilities that are social, cultural, educational.It will be searched the fact that sustainability of old cities for these villages within the sample of Bursa. In framework of the criteria of healthy cities, it will be discussed the conditions of population in historical cities and sustainability of the villages. The relationship between low income and migration of young people will be searched in the samples of these villages. In the result of study, a model will be created on in relationship between causes and effects in these villages in Bursa, in Turkey.

Africa is facing the dual challenge of under-nutrition and a growing burden of overweight and obesity especially in countries that are urbanizing and globalizing fast. The WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health framework is used to study the confluence of urbanization and wealth and their links with overweight and obesity in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The region has some of the highest rates of obesity, but also high rates of malnutrition among children. DHS Data, along with other macro-level statistics from UN agencies were used to identify the determinants of overweight or obesity among women. 9 out of 15 countries have overweight or obesity prevalence of more than 30% among adult women. The country results show that age, educational level, household wealth, marital status, and contraceptive use are associated with the odds of being overweight or obese. The interaction between urban/rural place of residence and household wealth status shows three patterns: high overweight levels in urban compared with rural areas for the poorer countries; no difference between urban and rural levels where the national prevalence of overweight or obesity is very high; and a cross-over effect in the wealthier countries where the rural affluent women have the highest levels of overweight or obesity.

We aim to determine whether duration of breastfeeding predicts linear growth and whether it protects against stunting and other forms of malnutrition using data from a longitudinal study conducted in two slums settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. The study involved 3,047 children aged 24 months and older, born between September 2006 and May 2010. The children were followed since birth and anthropocentric measurements including weight and height of the child taken at four-monthly intervals. The mothers were interviewed on breastfeeding practices and information updated at monthly intervals using a calendar. Preliminary analysis indicates that levels of stunting among children aged less than five years are high at 50%. A substantial proportion of children (15%) cease breastfeeding at the end of infancy. Further planned analysis using multilevel models will indicate whether the duration of breastfeeding is associated with linear growth, and whether it protects against stunting, and other forms of malnutrition.

Undoubtedly urban poor/slum population is deprived a lot facing the maximum brunt of the inequity in the cities. In this light it becomes imperative to find out what effect is cast by the proportion of slum population the inequity with respect to resources within the same slums and the human development index on the infant mortality rate in Mumbai and its 24 administrative wards. The second objective is to determine contribution of socio-economic inequality in infant mortality in Mumbai slums. The data for study has been gleaned from Human Development Report, Mumbai, 2009, Census of India, 2001 and National Family Health Survey-2005-06. The ward wise analysis with respect to three different regions of Greater Mumbai clearly shows that most of the wards of City Island had infant death around below 35 whereas most of the wards of Eastern suburbs had infant deaths more than 55 per 1000 live births. Some wards of Eastern suburbs such as M/E-Chembur East, M/W-Chembur West and L-Kurla call for special attention because these wards are having high concentration of slum population, low level of human development index and high burden of population on available health facilities which resulted into increase in the level of infant mortality rate during eight years time period.

In many developing countries, use of the private sector for healthcare, even among the poor, is high. Yet data on private health providers such as their total number and the types of services they provide is often limited. This paper presents results from a unique data collection effort carried out in Lagos and five other states of Nigeria in which all private health facilities in these states were identified and surveyed. At each facility, data was collected on the physical infrastructure, the types of services offered, and the quality of family planning services delivered at the facility. We first present lessons from the data collection effort itself and provide useful suggestions for others seeking to conduct similar exercises elsewhere. We then analyze the geographic distribution of private providers, the type of services they provide, and the quality of family planning practices delivered by private providers in these states.

Preconception care is an important part of a woman’s overall reproductive health. The main goal of preconception care is to provide health promotion, screening and intervention of woman of reproductive age to reduce risk factors that might affect future pregnancies. It is a set of intervention, which includes both prevention and management, emphasizing health issues that require action before pregnancy. Preconception or intra-conception care is sought partially in Bangladesh. There is growing concern of STD/STI in recent years. The country has low HIV prevalence with the high risk. Preconception care can determine the risks of these pre-existing medical conditions for better health and also better pregnancy outcomes. A study from the Dhaka district shows that although the level of care is low but it has accrued impact on women’s health during pregnancy and delivery. The multivariate analysis shows that it is a significant determinant of antenatal care, institutional delivery, and treatment seeking for RTIs. IT is suggested that preconception care would be an effective tool of behavior change and it may be given priority in the existing health intervention to create demand of Emergency Obstetric Care (EOC) at the community level.

Childhood Nutrition Status of Indonesia is far worse than neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Thailand. At the same time there are also problems of over nutrition (overweight) in Indonesia. A panel data of parents and children who are join nutrition education at “Taman Pintar”, Yogjakarta, Indonesia in 2011 and 2012 and it’s control used for this paper. The method analysis is Different and Different

Parents who attend nutrition educational program, their knowledge on necessary nutritional components in the daily child diet higher than parents who do not get the nutrition education, for vegetables significantly increased by 10% and for protein increased by 15%. The psychological, mental, emotional parents’ who attend nutrition education program shows some encouraging and very conducive for holistic development of the child.

Programs tend to increase the frequency of eating 5 times a week vegetables consumption of the child with vegetable consumption very low before the program to 13% and reduced the consumption of fast food. In addition, nutrition education programs also have a positive impact on the development of children in terms of concentration, socialization and cheerfulness.