Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregiver beliefs and experiences of routine childhood immunisation in Indonesia.

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to significant health services declines in South-East Asia including Indonesia, which experienced a decline in routine immunisation of children. This study investigated the influence of the pandemic on the beliefs and experiences of caregivers of children related to routine immunisation. This study involved a cross-sectional survey among 1399 caregivers of children aged 0-24 months in Central Java and West Nusa Tenggara provinces from March-April 2022. Data on beliefs and experiences of childhood immunizations were captured using core items from the WHO/UNICEF Behavioural and Social Drivers of Immunization (BeSD) survey. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with uptake of routine immunisations. While nearly all caregivers (95.7%) reported wanting their child to receive all recommended routine immunisations, only 40.3% of children aged 2-24 months were up-to-date with all vaccines for age. Factors associated with up-to-date included higher parental education (aOR: 1.76, 95% CI 1.02-3.05), higher household income (aOR: 1.54, 95% CI 1.09-2.18), and caregivers who found it moderately or very easy to get immunisations (aOR: 2.26/2.22, 95% CI 1.06-4.83/1.06-4.69). Recovery efforts should prioritise responding to the factors associated with immunisation status (e.g., perceived ease of access) and on families experiencing disadvantage (e.g., caregivers with lower education and household income) to ensure protections against future outbreaks that are responsive to the context-specific needs and priorities of districts and communities.

Determinants of healthcare facility utilization for childbirth in Kuantan Singingi regency, Riau province, Indonesia 2017.

BACKGROUND: Reducing maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is a high priority public health issue in developing countries such as Indonesia. The current MMR in Indonesia is 126/100,000 live births. Optimum use of available healthcare facilities for delivery can avert maternal deaths. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with healthcare facility utilization for childbirth in Kuantan Singingi regency, Riau province, Indonesia 2017. METHODS: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study in 15 sub-districts of Kuantan Singingi regency from May-June 2017. We selected 320 mothers from 15 sub-districts who delivered in the last 3 months (February-April 2017). Trained data enumerators collected the relevant data by using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. We used Cox regression analysis to determine the factors associated with delivery at healthcare facilities. Prevalence Ratio (PR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for childbirth at healthcare facilities was the key outcome measure. RESULTS: Only 54.4% (174) of the 320 mothers delivered at healthcare facilities. Knowledge about pregnancy danger signs (PR = 1.59, 95%CI:1.15-2.2), attitude towards healthcare services (PR = 0.79, 95%CI:0.33-1.89), and access to health care services (PR = 0.39, 95%CI:0.18-0.84) were the dominant factors of childbirth at healthcare facilities. There was an interaction between attitude and access to healthcare influencing delivery at healthcare facilities. CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of healthcare facilities for childbirth was low in Kuantan Singingi regency. Knowledge of pregnancy danger signs was an independent correlate of childbirth at healthcare facilities. Also, the interaction between attitude and access to healthcare showed a significant influence on childbirth at healthcare facilities. We recommend strengthening of existing maternal and child health program with a particular emphasis on complete and quality antenatal care, health education on danger signs of pregnancy and childbirth, and promoting positive attitudes towards healthcare facilities.

Environmental and Occupational Risk Factors Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology in West Javanese Rice Farmers, Indonesia.

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in agricultural population is an increasing issue. This study aims to obtain a prevalence estimate of CKDu in male rice farmers in West Java, Indonesia; and analyze the relationship between CKDu and environmental and occupational factors. The study design was cross-sectional. This study included 354 healthy male farmers in two rice agriculture areas in West Java with different altitudes (low altitude and high-altitude location). This research included blood and urine sampling from the farmers for serum creatinine (SCr) level and proteinuria; questionnaire on demographic information, occupational factors and other risk factors for CKDu. We measured ambient temperature and humidity in both study locations for environmental factors. From SCr level and proteinuria, we categorized the farmers into five stages of CKD; then we distinguished CKDu from CKD if the farmers had stage 1-4 of CKD but without diabetes, hypertension and other traditional causes. Data were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression to get prevalence odd ratios of CKDu and its relationship with environmental and occupational factors, adjusted with other risk factors of CKDu. The overall prevalence of CKD was 24.9% and CKDu was 18.6%. For the environmental factors, farm location (high altitude versus low altitude location) was associated with CKDu (Prevalence Odds Ratio (POR): 2.0; 95% CI: 1.2-3.5). For the occupational factors, although not significant, the risk of CKDu increased with the longer use of insecticide and with the more frequent of insecticide use. We suggested that there was a need to conduct future research to investigate more on the association of those environmental and occupational factors with CKDu.

Prevalence of Blood Lead among Children Living in Battery Recycling Communities in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of blood lead levels (BLLs) among children 1 to 5 years old who reside near and distant to informally used lead-acid battery (ULAB) recycling locations and examine risk factors for elevated BLLs. A cross-sectional study was conducted in three greater Jakarta neighborhoods where informal ULAB recycling occurs. Venous BLLs among 279 children were analyzed using portable blood lead testing machines. Demographic, child activities, and sources of lead exposure inside and outside homes were assessed. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate factors associated with the prevalence of BLLs. Forty-seven percent of children had BLLs ≥ 5 µg/dL and 9% had BLLs ≥ 10 µg/dL. No differences in geometric mean BLLs were observed between children who lived near and distant to ULAB locations. Older child age groups [Prevalence Ratio (PR) 2.14, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.16, 4.18) and low household income (PR 1.58, 95% CI 1.03, 2.40) were associated with BLLs 5-9 µg/dL. Low educational attainment of the child's father (PR 3.17, 95% CI 1.23, 8.16) and frequent outdoor child activity (PR 4.93, 95% CI 1.09, 22.21) were predictors of BLLs ≥ 10 µg/dL. This study shows the association between lead exposure among children and environmental sources. Public health officials can consider expanded surveillance, health care provider education, and development of strategies to reduce lead exposure.

Economic burden of dengue in Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Dengue is associated with significant economic expenditure and it is estimated that the Asia Pacific region accounts for >50% of the global cost. Indonesia has one of the world's highest dengue burdens; Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the primary and secondary vectors. In the absence of local data on disease cost, this study estimated the annual economic burden during 2015 of both hospitalized and ambulatory dengue cases in Indonesia. METHODS: Total 2015 dengue costs were calculated using both prospective and retrospective methods using data from public and private hospitals and health centres in three provinces: Yogyakarta, Bali and Jakarta. Direct costs were extracted from billing systems and claims; a patient survey captured indirect and out-of-pocket costs at discharge and 2 weeks later. Adjustments across sites based on similar clinical practices and healthcare landscapes were performed to fill gaps in cost estimates. The national burden of dengue was extrapolated from provincial data using data from the three sites and applying an empirically-derived epidemiological expansion factor. RESULTS: Total direct and indirect costs per dengue case assessed at Yogyakarta, Bali and Jakarta were US$791, US$1,241 and US$1,250, respectively. Total 2015 economic burden of dengue in Indonesia was estimated at US$381.15 million which comprised US$355.2 million for hospitalized and US$26.2 million for ambulatory care cases. CONCLUSION: Dengue imposes a substantial economic burden for Indonesian public payers and society. Complemented with an appropriate weighting method and by accounting for local specificities and practices, these data may support national level public health decision making for prevention/control of dengue in public health priority lists.