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Socioeconomic context of the community and chronic child malnutrition in Colombia
Ana María Osorio1, Gustavo Alfonso Romero2, Harold Bonilla3
1Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Seccional Cali. Departamento de Economia. Cali, Colombia.
Insights
Community socioeconomic context significantly impacts child malnutrition in Colombia. Higher community wealth and maternal education reduced chronic malnutrition risk in early childhood.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Socioeconomic Determinants of Health
- Child Nutrition
Background:
- Chronic child malnutrition remains a significant public health issue in Colombia.
- Understanding the multifaceted determinants of malnutrition is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of the community's socioeconomic context on chronic child malnutrition in Colombia.
- To differentiate the impact of community-level factors versus household-level socioeconomic status.
Main Methods:
- Multilevel logistic models were employed using data from Colombia's 2010 National Demographic and Health Survey.
- Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was utilized to construct composite indicators for wealth, female autonomy, and healthcare access.
- The study analyzed data from 11,448 children under five across 3,528 communities.
Main Results:
- Community-level wealth demonstrated a significant independent association with chronic early childhood malnutrition, exceeding the influence of household socioeconomic status.
- Children of mothers with low autonomy, limited healthcare access, adolescent first births, and residing in the lowest wealth quintiles faced higher malnutrition probabilities.
- Maternal factors such as a body mass index > 25 and secondary education were associated with a reduced likelihood of chronic malnutrition.
Conclusions:
- Interventions must integrate community-level socioeconomic and environmental factors to effectively improve early childhood nutrition in Colombia.
- Addressing disparities in wealth, healthcare access, and maternal education is essential for combating chronic child malnutrition.
Objective:
To analyze the influence of the socioeconomic context of the community on chronic child malnutrition in Colombia.
Methods:
We estimated multilevel logistic models using data from the National Demographic and Health Survey in Colombia in 2010. The final sample included 11,448 children under the age of five gathered in 3,528 communities. In addition, we used the Principal Component Analysis with polychoric correlations for the construction of composed indicators of wealth, autonomy of the woman, and the use and access to the health system.
Results:
The average level of community wealth was significantly and independently associated with chronic malnutrition in early childhood, more than the socioeconomic status of the household itself. At the individual and household level, the probability of chronic malnutrition was higher for children from mothers with low levels of autonomy and use and access to the health system, mothers who had their first child in adolescence, and mothers who live in homes in the lowest wealth quintiles. In contrast, children from mothers with a body mass index > 25 and with at least secondary education (versus no education) were less likely to suffer from chronic malnutrition.
Conclusions:
Research, programs, and interventions need to take into account the physical, economic, and social context of communities to contribute with the improvement of the nutritional status of early childhood in Colombia.
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