Prevalence and determinants of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections among children aged under five years in West Africa: evidence from demographic and health surveys

BACKGROUND

Diarrhoea and pneumonia are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children aged <5 y (under five) globally. This study sought to investigate the prevalence and determinants of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections (ARIs) among children under five in West Africa.

METHODS

The most recent demographic and health survey (DHS) standard for 13 West African countries was used in the study. We calculated the prevalence of diarrhoea and ARIs (2 wk prior to the survey) and performed multivariable complex logistic regression analysis to identify possible predictors of diarrhoea and ARIs.

RESULTS

The weighted prevalence of diarrhoea and ARI was 13.7% and 15.9%, respectively. The prevalence of comorbid diarrhoea and ARI was 4.4%. Children aged <2 y (p<0.001), mothers aged <30 y (p<0.003), mothers without formal education (p<0.001), poor households (p<0.001) and poor nutritional status, wasting (p=0.005) and underweight (p<0.001), were the independent predictors of diarrhoea. The independent predictors of ARIs were children with no childhood vaccinations (p=0.002), use of solid fuel in the household (p=0.007), being underweight (p=0.05) and diarrhoea (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings imply the need for holistic public health interventions such as increased vaccination coverage, population-based nutritional programmes and campaigns on the use of cleaner cooking fuel targeted at high-risk subgroups in the population to reduce the burden and adverse effects of diarrhoea and ARIs in the West African region.

Prevalence and factors associated with overweight in children under 5 years in West African countries

Background

Overweight is a risk factor for non-communicable diseases and is affecting an increasing number of children worldwide. The objective of this study was to measure the prevalence and related factors to overweight among children under 5 years in five West African countries.

Methods

This study was a secondary analysis of nationally representative cross-sectional data. These data were drawn from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from five countries in the West African region (Benin, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, and Togo) from 2015 to 2018.Continuous quantitative data were categorized and all analyses were weighted according to the probability that each participant was selected in the sample. Children under 5 years of age were the study population. Multilevel logistic regression was used with Stata 16.0 software.

Results

The total sample size for the analysis was 38,657 children. The pooled prevalence of overweight among children under 5 years of age in the five countries was 3%. Guinea had the highest prevalence (6%) compared to the other countries, which had a prevalence of 2%. The likelihood of being overweight was higher among children aged 0-6 months (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.41-3.95]), who had a high birth height (AOR = 1.64; 95% CI [1.29-2.09]), whose mothers were overweight (AOR = 1.35; 95% CI [1.09-1.68]), who lived in households with fewer than five members (AOR = 1.19; 95% CI [1.00-1.46]), or who lived in Guinea (AOR = 2.79; 95% CI [1.62-4.79]).

Conclusion

This study showed that overweight concerns few children under 5 years of age in West Africa. However, it does exist, and its prevalence could likely increase if its modifiable factors (maternal overweight, household size, and height at birth) are not taken into account in nutritional interventions.

Association of hypertension and hyperglycaemia with socioeconomic contexts in resource-poor settings: the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular diseases and risk factors are disproportionally concentrated among the socioeconomically disadvantaged in high-income countries; however, this relationship is not well-understood or documented in resource-limited countries.

METHODS

We analysed data from the 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey to estimate age-, sex- and location-adjusted differences in blood pressure and blood glucose outcomes by categories of a standardized wealth index and education levels. Body mass index (BMI) was examined as a secondary outcome and also assessed as a potential confounder.

RESULTS

There was strong evidence that the prevalence of hypertension was higher among Bangladeshi women than among men (33.6% vs 19.6%, P < 0.001), whereas the overall prevalence of hyperglycaemia was 7.1% with no evidence of sex differences. The likelihood of having hypertension was more than double for individuals in the highest vs lowest wealth quintile [odds ratio (OR) for men: 2.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.32-3.44; OR for women: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.90-2.67], and for individuals with the highest level of education attained vs those with no education (OR for men: 2.55, 95% CI: 2.06-3.16; OR for women: 1.42, 95% CI: 0.99-2.03). Likewise, the likelihood of having hyperglycaemia was more than four times higher in the wealthiest compared with the poorest individuals (OR for men: 6.48, 95% CI: 5.11-8.22; OR for women: 4.77, 95% CI: 3.72-6.12), and in individuals with the highest level of education attained vs those with no education (OR for men: 4.68, 95% CI: 3.56-6.15; OR for women: 5.02, 95% CI: 3.30-7.64). There were no appreciable differences in these trends when stratified by geographical location. BMI did not attenuate these associations and exhibited similarly positive associations with education and wealth.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing levels of wealth and educational attainment were associated with an increased likelihood of having hypertension and hyperglycaemia in Bangladesh.

Underuse of modern methods of contraception: underlying causes and consequent undesired pregnancies in 35 low- and middle-income countries

STUDY QUESTION

What is the contribution of the underuse of modern methods (MM) of contraception to the annual undesired pregnancies in 35 low- and middle-income countries?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Fifteen million out of 16.7 million undesired pregnancies occurring annually in 35 countries could have been prevented with the optimal use of MM of contraception.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Every year, 87 million women worldwide become pregnant unintentionally because of the underuse of MM of contraception.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

Demographic and health surveys (DHS) of 35 countries, conducted between 2005 and 2012, were analysed.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

Contraceptive use of 12 874 unintentionally pregnant women was compared with 111 301 sexually active women who were neither pregnant nor desiring pregnancy.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

An average of 96% of 15- to 49-year-old eligible women took part in the survey. When adjusted for covariates and compared with the use of MM of contraception, the use of traditional methods was associated with a 2.7 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.3-3.4] times increase in odds of an undesired pregnancy, while non-use of any method was associated with a 14.3 (95% CI, 12.3-16.7) times increase. This corresponded to an estimated 16.7 million undesired pregnancies occurring annually in the 35 countries, of which 15.0 million could have been prevented with the optimal use of MM of contraception (13.5 million women did not use MM whilst 1.5 million women utilized MM incorrectly). Women with the lowest educational attainment and wealth quintile were 8.6 (95% CI: 8.2-9.1) and 2.6 (95% CI: 2.4-2.9) times less likely to use contraceptives compared with those with the highest level of each, respectively. Of the 14 893 women who neither desired pregnancy nor used contraception, 5559 (37.3%) cited fear of side effects and health concerns as the reason for non-use, 3331 (22.4%) cited they or their partner's opposition to contraception or religious prohibition and 2620 (17.6%) underestimated the risk of pregnancy.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

Despite the fact that DHS are considered high-quality studies, we should not underestimate the role played by recall bias for past pregnancies. Few women report a current pregnancy in the first trimester and undesired pregnancies at that time are probably prone to under-reporting. Some terminated pregnancies may not be included in the current pregnancy group. Furthermore, covariates measured at the time of the survey may not have reflected the same covariates at the time the currently pregnant women became pregnant.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Underuse of MM of contraception burdens especially the poor and the less educated. National strategies should address unfounded health concerns, fear of side effects, opposition and underestimated risk of pregnancy, which are major contributors to undesired pregnancies.

FUNDING/CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

No external funding was utilized for this report. There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Education, household wealth and blood pressure in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine: findings from the Demographic Health Surveys, 2005-2009

BACKGROUND

While socioeconomic gradients in cardiovascular disease have been well established in high-income countries, this relationship is not well understood in middle-income countries.

METHODS

Data from Demographic Health Surveys collected in Albania (2008-09), Armenia (2005), Azerbaijan (2006) and Ukraine (2007) were used to estimate age-adjusted differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure (PP), hypertension (HTN), elevated blood pressure, and optimal blood pressure across a standardized wealth index, level of educational attainment, and urban versus rural residence.

RESULTS

The wealthiest Albanian females had lower average SBP, DBP, PP (all p<0.01) and HTN status (odds ratio [OR]=0.3, CI: 0.2-0.5, p<0.001) compared to the poorest; similar education gradients were also found. Such disparities also existed for Albanian men. Among Armenian women, urban (OR=1.4, 1.1-1.8, p<0.01), more educated (OR=0.7, CI: 0.6-0.9, p<0.01), and wealthier (OR=1.8, 1.4-2.4, p<0.001) women were more likely to have optimal blood pressure. Urban Armenian men were also more likely to have optimal blood pressure (OR=1.8, 1.2-2.9, p<0.01). Wealthier and urban Azerbaijani had lower risk of elevated blood pressure and Azerbaijani women displayed strong wealth gradients with higher quintiles of wealth associated with lower continuous blood pressure measures. There were no socioeconomic gradients for Ukrainian males or females.

CONCLUSIONS

There is compelling evidence that wealth and education gradients affect the probability of HTN for women in Albania, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, and for men in Albania.