Abstract
BackgroundVitamin A supplementation reduces child morbidity, mortality, and blindness of people, especially in developing countries like Bangladesh. This study explores significant determinants of vitamin A deficiency among preschool children in rural and urban areas of Bangladesh.MethodsThe data set was extracted from a nationally representative survey based on a cross-sectional study, the BDHS-2017-18. The base survey was conducted using a two-stage stratified sample of households. A sample of 8364 (urban 2911, rural 5453) children under-5 years old was analyzed using bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques.ResultsResults have demonstrated that 73.9 and 73.2% of children have had a vitamin A supplementation from urban and rural areas, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that parents’ education plays a vital role in consuming vitamin A supplements in urban and rural areas. Children whose mothers have secondary (OR: 1.17, CI: 0.76–1.81) and higher (OR: 1.21, CI: 0.72–2.04) education were more likely to consume vitamin A supplementation than children whose mothers were illiterate in urban areas. However, in rural areas, children whose mothers have secondary education were about 24% and higher education with 60% more likely to consume vitamin A supplementation than children whose mothers were illiterate. Child’s age, regional variation and wealth index also contributing factors for vitamin A deficiency in Bangladesh.ConclusionsThese findings indicated that the consumption of vitamin A does not cover the target of sustainable development goals. Thus special national and community level efforts are required to ensure the coverage of the national vitamin A program is increased adequately to the most vulnerable groups of children in Bangladesh.
Highlights
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient needed in small amounts and mainly required for the visual system, growth and development, maintaining epithelial cellular integrity, immune function and reproduction [1]
The evidence above ensures that the prevalence of many childhood diseases is more common among stunted children, and on the other hand, there is a significant association between stunting and vitamin A deficiency (VAD) [16]
The results presented in odds ratios (ORs), with 95% confidence intervals
Summary
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient needed in small amounts and mainly required for the visual system, growth and development, maintaining epithelial cellular integrity, immune function and reproduction [1]. The Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) disorders reduce the immune competence, which is responsible for increasing the morbidity and mortality associated with night blindness, corneal ulcers, keratomalacia and related ocular signs and symptoms xerophthalmia [4,5,6,7,8,9]. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with an increased risk of child mortality and of a range of problems, including measles, diarrhea, respiratory diseases, vision problems, and can lead to death [2, 10,11,12,13,14,15]. Vitamin A supplementation reduces child morbidity, mortality, and blindness of people, especially in developing countries like Bangladesh.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: 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.
