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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

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Published on: February 2, 2017

Growth and morbidity in children in the Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study: the urban-remote differential

Dorothy E M Mackerras1, Alison Reid, Susan M Sayers

  • 1Menzies School of Health Research, PO Box 41096, Casuarina, NT 0811, Australia. dorothy@menzies.edu.au

The Medical Journal of Australia
|January 16, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Health markers differ between urban and remote Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory. Remote children showed poorer growth and higher infection rates, while urban children had higher chronic disease risk factors.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Paediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory face unique health challenges.
  • Understanding health disparities between urban and remote populations is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the prevalence of growth, infectious, and chronic disease markers in peripubertal Aboriginal children.
  • To compare these health markers between children in urban and remote areas of the Northern Territory.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey nested within a prospective birth cohort.
  • Follow-up of 482 children (aged 8-14 years) recruited between 1987-1990.
  • Comparison of growth, nutrition, infectious disease, and chronic disease markers between urban and remote groups.

Main Results:

  • Remote children exhibited significantly lower height, weight, body mass index, and haemoglobin levels compared to urban children.
  • Urban children had higher systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and insulin levels.
  • Higher prevalence of visible infections was observed in remote children.

Conclusions:

  • Significant differences in health markers exist between urban and remote Aboriginal children.
  • Findings highlight the need for context-specific health strategies.
  • Results from remote area surveys should not be generalized to urban Aboriginal populations.
Abstract

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