tailieunhanh - Inequities in maternal and child health outcomes and interventions in Ghana

Population displacement caused by cyclone damage and flooding can result in overcrowding in resettlement areas, raising the risk of transmission of certain communicable diseases. Measles (see section below on vaccine-preventable diseases), ARI, diphtheria and pertussis are transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets, and the risks are increased in situations of forced relocation to shared areas which are overcrowded and have inadequate ventilation. Overcrowding can also increase the likelihood of transmission of meningitis, waterborne and vector-borne diseases. ARI. Acute respiratory infection includes any infection of the upper or lower respiratory system. A major concern in Myanmar. | Zere et al. BMC Public Health 2012 12 252 http 1471-2458 12 252 BMC Public Health RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Inequities in maternal and child health outcomes and interventions in Ghana Eyob Zere1 Joses M Kirigia2 Sambe Duale3 and James Akazili4 Abstract Background With the date for achieving the targets of the Millennium Development Goals MDGs approaching fast there is a heightened concern about equity as inequities hamper progress towards the MDGs. Equity-focused approaches have the potential to accelerate the progress towards achieving the health-related MDGs faster than the current pace in a more cost-effective and sustainable manner. Ghana s rate of progress towards MDGs 4 and 5 related to reducing child and maternal mortality respectively is less than what is required to achieve the targets. The objective of this paper is to examine the equity dimension of child and maternal health outcomes and interventions using Ghana as a case study. Methods Data from Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 2008 report is analyzed for inequities in selected maternal and child health outcomes and interventions using population-weighted regression-based measures slope index of inequality and relative index of inequality. Results No statistically significant inequities are observed in infant and under-five mortality perinatal mortality wasting and acute respiratory infection in children. However stunting underweight in under-five children anaemia in children and women childhood diarrhoea and underweight in women BMI show inequities that are to the disadvantage of the poorest. The rates significantly decrease among the wealthiest quintile as compared to the poorest. In contrast overweight BMI and obesity BMI 30 among women reveals a different trend -there are inequities in favour of the poorest. In other words in Ghana overweight and obesity increase significantly among women in the wealthiest quintile compared to the poorest. With respect to .