The test–re-test reliability of routine infant anthropometry at primary care hospitals in Chongqing, PR China

Abstract

Background: Reliable measurements of infants obtained from routine clinical practice are scarce.Aim: To investigate the reliability of anthropometric measurements collected in routine clinical practice at primary care hospitals in Chongqing, PR China.Subjects and methods: The convenience sample comprised measurements from 739 infants aged <36 months. Using typical methods, child healthcare clinicians (CHCCs) measured four variables (recumbent and crown–rump lengths and head and chest circumferences); child healthcare nurses (CHCNs) performed re-measurement using standardized anthropometric techniques. Intra- and inter-observer measurement reliability were assessed mainly using technical error of measurement (TEM), mean absolute difference (MAD) and coefficient of reliability (R).Results: Intra-observer MADs of the four measurements were significantly smaller among CHCNs than among CHCCs (p < 0.05). The inter-observer TEMs of recumbent length and head circumference measurements were 0.58–0.68 and 0.38–0.48 cm, MADs were 0.60–0.71 and 0.40–0.51 cm and Rs were 0.968–0.995 and 0.937–0.971. Crown–rump length TEMs and MADs were 0.77–0.83 and 0.81–0.87 cm and Rs were 0.896–0.961. Chest circumference TEMs and MADs were >1.00 cm and Rs were <0.90.Conclusions: Recumbent length and head circumference measurements were fair. Crown–rump length and chest circumference measurements were less reliable.