The Association between Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation and Malaria Prophylaxis and Linear Growth among Children and Neonatal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Pooled Analysis
The majority of research on linear growth among children is confined to South Asia and focuses on iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation during pregnancy, without considering malaria prophylaxis. Similarly, there is limited evidence on the association of antenatal IFA supplementation and malaria...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/21/4496 |
| _version_ | 1797466955702075392 |
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| author | Deepali Godha Manisha Tharaney Simeon Nanama Tina Sanghvi Arnaud Laillou Fanta Touré Diop Aita Sarr Cisse |
| author_facet | Deepali Godha Manisha Tharaney Simeon Nanama Tina Sanghvi Arnaud Laillou Fanta Touré Diop Aita Sarr Cisse |
| author_sort | Deepali Godha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The majority of research on linear growth among children is confined to South Asia and focuses on iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation during pregnancy, without considering malaria prophylaxis. Similarly, there is limited evidence on the association of antenatal IFA supplementation and malaria prophylaxis with neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study aims to address these gaps. A pooled analysis of demographic and health survey (DHS) data from 19 countries in SSA was conducted to study the association between IFA supplementation and malaria prophylaxis and linear growth and neonatal mortality. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were used. Malaria prophylaxis was significantly associated with stunting, height-for-age Z scores (HAZ scores), and neonatal mortality, but IFA supplementation was not associated with these outcomes. When women’s height and body mass index (BMI) were introduced in the model, a significant association between combined malaria prophylaxis and IFA supplementation was found with HAZ scores only. For severe stunting, no significant association was found with either in the two models. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of antenatal malaria prophylaxis as a potential intervention for nutrition outcomes (linear growth) and neonatal mortality, as well as the importance of coordinating efforts between malaria and the health and nutrition sectors to improve these outcomes in the countries of SSA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:46:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-75635877878c4f9fb60fcc185a707cd8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:46:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-75635877878c4f9fb60fcc185a707cd82023-11-24T06:12:27ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-10-011421449610.3390/nu14214496The Association between Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation and Malaria Prophylaxis and Linear Growth among Children and Neonatal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Pooled AnalysisDeepali Godha0Manisha Tharaney1Simeon Nanama2Tina Sanghvi3Arnaud Laillou4Fanta Touré Diop5Aita Sarr Cisse6Independent Researcher, Indore 452016, IndiaNutrition, FHI 360, Washington, DC 20009, USANutrition Section, UNICEF West and Central Africa Region, Dakar 29720, SenegalNutrition, FHI 360, Washington, DC 20009, USANutrition Section, UNICEF West and Central Africa Region, Dakar 29720, SenegalNutrition and Health, Action Contre la Faim, Dakar 29621, SenegalIndependent Researcher, Dakar 29621, SenegalThe majority of research on linear growth among children is confined to South Asia and focuses on iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation during pregnancy, without considering malaria prophylaxis. Similarly, there is limited evidence on the association of antenatal IFA supplementation and malaria prophylaxis with neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study aims to address these gaps. A pooled analysis of demographic and health survey (DHS) data from 19 countries in SSA was conducted to study the association between IFA supplementation and malaria prophylaxis and linear growth and neonatal mortality. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were used. Malaria prophylaxis was significantly associated with stunting, height-for-age Z scores (HAZ scores), and neonatal mortality, but IFA supplementation was not associated with these outcomes. When women’s height and body mass index (BMI) were introduced in the model, a significant association between combined malaria prophylaxis and IFA supplementation was found with HAZ scores only. For severe stunting, no significant association was found with either in the two models. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of antenatal malaria prophylaxis as a potential intervention for nutrition outcomes (linear growth) and neonatal mortality, as well as the importance of coordinating efforts between malaria and the health and nutrition sectors to improve these outcomes in the countries of SSA.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/21/4496severe stuntingstuntingHAZ scoresneonatal mortalityiron folic acid supplementationmalaria prophylaxis |
| spellingShingle | Deepali Godha Manisha Tharaney Simeon Nanama Tina Sanghvi Arnaud Laillou Fanta Touré Diop Aita Sarr Cisse The Association between Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation and Malaria Prophylaxis and Linear Growth among Children and Neonatal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Pooled Analysis Nutrients severe stunting stunting HAZ scores neonatal mortality iron folic acid supplementation malaria prophylaxis |
| title | The Association between Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation and Malaria Prophylaxis and Linear Growth among Children and Neonatal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Pooled Analysis |
| title_full | The Association between Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation and Malaria Prophylaxis and Linear Growth among Children and Neonatal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Pooled Analysis |
| title_fullStr | The Association between Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation and Malaria Prophylaxis and Linear Growth among Children and Neonatal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Pooled Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Association between Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation and Malaria Prophylaxis and Linear Growth among Children and Neonatal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Pooled Analysis |
| title_short | The Association between Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation and Malaria Prophylaxis and Linear Growth among Children and Neonatal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Pooled Analysis |
| title_sort | association between iron and folic acid supplementation and malaria prophylaxis and linear growth among children and neonatal mortality in sub saharan africa a pooled analysis |
| topic | severe stunting stunting HAZ scores neonatal mortality iron folic acid supplementation malaria prophylaxis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/21/4496 |
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