Vitamin A supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and anemia in sub-Saharan Africa
Samson Gebremedhin School of Public and Environmental Health, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia Background: Systematic reviews consistently indicated that vitamin A supplementation (VAS) (100,000–200,000 international unit [IU] semiannually) to children aged 6–59 mon...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2017-07-01
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| Series: | Nutrition and Dietary Supplements |
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| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/vitamin-a-supplementation-and-childhood-morbidity-from-diarrhea-fever--peer-reviewed-article-NDS |
| _version_ | 1819084000091701248 |
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| author | Gebremedhin S |
| author_facet | Gebremedhin S |
| author_sort | Gebremedhin S |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Samson Gebremedhin School of Public and Environmental Health, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia Background: Systematic reviews consistently indicated that vitamin A supplementation (VAS) (100,000–200,000 international unit [IU] semiannually) to children aged 6–59 months substantially reduces all-cause child mortality. Yet, its effect on morbidity is inconsistent and its contribution to the reduction of anemia has not been sufficiently explored.Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the association between routine VAS (100,000 IU for children aged 6–11 months and 200,000 IU for children aged 1–5 years) and the occurrence of common childhood illnesses (fever, diarrhea, acute respiratory infection [ARI] and anemia) in preschool children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).Methods: The analysis was made based on the data of 28 demographic and health surveys (DHSs) conducted in SSA since 2010. The data of 152,406 children were included. The VAS status in the preceding 6 months and the occurrence of the illnesses in the past 2 weeks were determined based on the information given by the caregivers. The hemoglobin level was determined using a portable photometer. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects logistic regression model. The outputs were provided using adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The practical significance of the association was measured via Cohen’s effect size (d).Results: The coverage of VAS was 56.3% (95% CI: 56.1–56.5). VAS was modestly associated with increased odds of fever (AOR=1.12 [95% CI: 1.09–1.15]), diarrhea (AOR=1.09 [95% CI: 1.05–1.13]) and ARI (AOR=1.18 [95%: 1.12–1.24]). Conversely, in the supplemented children, the odds of anemia were reduced by 10.1% (95% CI: 7.0–13.1). All the associations translated into trivial effect sizes (d<0.2).Conclusion: VAS is associated with an inconsequential increase in the occurrence of common childhood ailments. Keywords: vitamin A supplementation, diarrhea, fever, acute respiratory infection, anemia, hemoglobin, demographic and health survey, sub-Saharan Africa |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T20:41:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f3e372a23fd41838386133444fc3c27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-1489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T20:41:30Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrition and Dietary Supplements |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f3e372a23fd41838386133444fc3c272022-12-21T18:50:57ZengDove Medical PressNutrition and Dietary Supplements1179-14892017-07-01Volume 9475434014Vitamin A supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and anemia in sub-Saharan AfricaGebremedhin SSamson Gebremedhin School of Public and Environmental Health, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia Background: Systematic reviews consistently indicated that vitamin A supplementation (VAS) (100,000–200,000 international unit [IU] semiannually) to children aged 6–59 months substantially reduces all-cause child mortality. Yet, its effect on morbidity is inconsistent and its contribution to the reduction of anemia has not been sufficiently explored.Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the association between routine VAS (100,000 IU for children aged 6–11 months and 200,000 IU for children aged 1–5 years) and the occurrence of common childhood illnesses (fever, diarrhea, acute respiratory infection [ARI] and anemia) in preschool children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).Methods: The analysis was made based on the data of 28 demographic and health surveys (DHSs) conducted in SSA since 2010. The data of 152,406 children were included. The VAS status in the preceding 6 months and the occurrence of the illnesses in the past 2 weeks were determined based on the information given by the caregivers. The hemoglobin level was determined using a portable photometer. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects logistic regression model. The outputs were provided using adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The practical significance of the association was measured via Cohen’s effect size (d).Results: The coverage of VAS was 56.3% (95% CI: 56.1–56.5). VAS was modestly associated with increased odds of fever (AOR=1.12 [95% CI: 1.09–1.15]), diarrhea (AOR=1.09 [95% CI: 1.05–1.13]) and ARI (AOR=1.18 [95%: 1.12–1.24]). Conversely, in the supplemented children, the odds of anemia were reduced by 10.1% (95% CI: 7.0–13.1). All the associations translated into trivial effect sizes (d<0.2).Conclusion: VAS is associated with an inconsequential increase in the occurrence of common childhood ailments. Keywords: vitamin A supplementation, diarrhea, fever, acute respiratory infection, anemia, hemoglobin, demographic and health survey, sub-Saharan Africahttps://www.dovepress.com/vitamin-a-supplementation-and-childhood-morbidity-from-diarrhea-fever--peer-reviewed-article-NDSVitamin A supplementationDiarrheaFeverAcute respiratory infectionAnemiaHemoglobinDemographic and Health SurveySub-Saharan Africa. |
| spellingShingle | Gebremedhin S Vitamin A supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and anemia in sub-Saharan Africa Nutrition and Dietary Supplements Vitamin A supplementation Diarrhea Fever Acute respiratory infection Anemia Hemoglobin Demographic and Health Survey Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| title | Vitamin A supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and anemia in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | Vitamin A supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and anemia in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | Vitamin A supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and anemia in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vitamin A supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and anemia in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | Vitamin A supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and anemia in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | vitamin a supplementation and childhood morbidity from diarrhea fever respiratory problems and anemia in sub saharan africa |
| topic | Vitamin A supplementation Diarrhea Fever Acute respiratory infection Anemia Hemoglobin Demographic and Health Survey Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/vitamin-a-supplementation-and-childhood-morbidity-from-diarrhea-fever--peer-reviewed-article-NDS |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gebremedhins vitaminasupplementationandchildhoodmorbidityfromdiarrheafeverrespiratoryproblemsandanemiainsubsaharanafrica |