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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Measuring progress towards equitable child survival: where are the epidemiologists?
1Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil. cvictora@terra.com.br
Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)
|December 1, 2007
Summary
Achieving the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for child mortality requires intensified global efforts, focusing on equitable access to low-cost interventions and addressing inequities. Methodological challenges in measuring progress in high-mortality countries need urgent attention.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Public Health Policy
- Development Economics
Background:
- The fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4) aimed to reduce child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015.
- Currently, only 7 of 60 priority countries are on track to meet this target, necessitating urgent global and national interventions.
- Inequities, particularly those affecting children from impoverished families who face higher mortality risks, must be addressed to achieve the goal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the critical need for intensified efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goal 4.
- To emphasize the importance of tackling inequities in child mortality and intervention coverage.
- To discuss methodological challenges in measuring progress and inequities in high-mortality countries.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of progress towards Millennium Development Goal 4 targets.
- Identification of key factors hindering progress, including socioeconomic inequities.
- Discussion of methodological difficulties in data collection and analysis in resource-limited settings.
- Advocacy for increased epidemiologist involvement in measurement and monitoring.
Main Results:
- A significant gap exists between current progress and the Millennium Development Goal 4 target, with only a small fraction of priority countries on track.
- Children from poor families experience disproportionately higher mortality risks, underscoring the need for equitable intervention strategies.
- Measuring mortality, morbidity, and intervention coverage inequities is severely hampered by unreliable routine statistics in high-mortality countries.
Conclusions:
- Reaching Millennium Development Goal 4 demands a concentrated focus on high and equitable coverage of cost-effective interventions.
- Addressing measurement challenges and involving epidemiologists are crucial for accurate monitoring of progress and inequities.
- Substantial global and national efforts are required to bridge the gap and ensure child survival gains are equitably distributed.
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