Abstract
BackgroundChildhood iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is an important contributor to under-five mortality in the developing world. There is evidence that Community Health Worker (CHW) delivered programs to increase maternal knowledge of child health practices may decrease childhood IDA. This study reports findings on the association between a long standing CHW intervention and childhood anemia status in rural Haiti.MethodsUsing structural equations and mediation analyses on data from a household-based survey of 621 mother/child dyads, we tested the hypothesis that CHW would have a direct positive effect on maternal knowledge and an indirect effect on childhood anemia in rural Haiti.ResultsCHW contact was significantly associated with maternal knowledge of key child health practices (β = 0.193, SE = 0.058, p = 0.001). However, knowledge was not associated with childhood anemia (β = -0.008, SE = 0.009, p = 0.382). Maternal knowledge categories significantly affected by CHW contact included diarrheal prevention knowledge (β = 0.111, SE = 0.045, p = 0.013) and signs of malnutrition (β = 0.217, SE = 0.071, p = 0.002). There was no significant association with knowledge of vitamin A and iron rich foods (β = 0.057, SE = 0.032, p = 0.074), which is the intervention most likely to impact childhood anemia. In all path models tested, we identified the control variables low household socio-economic status, mothers’ anemia status, and child’s age less than 24 months as significant predictors of childhood anemia.ConclusionsCHWs delivered interventions are associated with improved maternal knowledge of child health practices in rural Haiti; however, this knowledge is not associated with improved childhood anemia. Concurrently with CHW-delivered programs, interventions household poverty are implied to impact childhood health outcomes in resource poor settings.
Highlights
Childhood iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is an important contributor to under-five mortality in the developing world
Community Health Worker (CHW) delivered interventions are associated with improved maternal knowledge of child health practices in rural Haiti; this knowledge is not associated with improved childhood anemia
CHW contact was significantly associated with maternal knowledge of key child health practices (β = 0.193, SE = 0.058, p = 0.001)
Summary
Childhood iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is an important contributor to under-five mortality in the developing world. There is evidence that Community Health Worker (CHW) delivered programs to increase maternal knowledge of child health practices may decrease childhood IDA. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA), a manifestation of chronic ID is a global public health challenge, especially among children less than 5 years old in the developing world [2]. Séraphin et al Global Health Research and Policy (2017) 2:3 interventions aimed at increasing maternal knowledge, independent of maternal education, have the potential to have a positive effect on child nutritional outcomes [12,13,14,15]. Haiti has used CHWs since the early 1980s for the promotion of vaccination, behavioral change communication, maternal and child health, nutrition and weight monitoring and later HIV and tuberculosis treatment support and supervision [20]. SBHF has been servicing the Southern region of Haiti for over 30 years and CHWs are an integral part of their community outreach activities
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.