Analysis of children’ s health and influential factors in Nujiang prefecture, Yunnan / 中国卫生政策研究

ABSTRACT

Objective:To determine children ’ s health status and influential factors in Nujiang prefecture , Yun-nan.Methods:Rickets morbidity rate , growth retardation rate , and low-weight rate were selected as the key indica-tors to calculate the sample size by using four-stage-sampling procedure .The data was collected through questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, and focus-group discussions .χ2 test and qualitative analysis were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data .Results:The infant mortality rate was 13.14 %in 2011, which was 1.1 and 1.15 times more than the national and provincial average .The mortality rate of children under five was 16.35%in 2011, which was 1.05 and 1.13 times more than the national and provincial average .It was also 2.19 times more than the average in developed countries .The prevalence of medium and severe malnutrition in children under five was 2 .32%, which was 1 .54 times more than the national average .The incidence of low birth weight was 1 .41%.The research shows that the rates of rickets , growth retardation , and low-weight were 36.13%, 25.81%and 20.98%,and nutritional diseases are more serious .Conclusion:There are serious health problems for children in Nujiang pre-fecture, especially nutritional diseases .Influential factors include health policy and system , economic development, customs, geography, health service capacity , and parental health knowledge SuggestionThe government should im-prove top-level design , strengthen policy support , and develop the local economy in order to solve the social and poli-cy environment factors .Institutions and human capacity should be strengthened , access and quality of services should be improved , health education should be popularized , and health awareness and behaviors should be improved .