Influence of Feeding Practices on Malnutrition in Haitian Infants and Young Children.

Infant malnutrition remains an important cause of death and disability, and Haiti has the highest prevalence in the Americas. Therefore, preventive strategies are needed. Our aims were (1) To assess the prevalence of malnutrition among young children seen at a health center in Haiti; (2) Examine adherence to infant feeding practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the association to nutritional status. This cross-sectional study recruited children from the Saint Espri Health Center in Port Au Prince in 2014. We recorded feeding practices, socio-demographic data, and anthropometric measurements (WHO-2006). We evaluated 278 infants and children younger than two years old, aged 8.08 ± 6.5 months, 53.2% female. 18.35% were underweight (weight/age <-2 SD); 13.31% stunted (length/age <-2 SD), and 13.67% had moderate or severe wasting (weight/length <-2 SD). Malnutrition was associated with male gender, older age, lower maternal education level, and greater numbers of siblings (Chi², p < 0.05). Adherence to recommended breastfeeding practices was 11.8-97.9%, and to complementary feeding practices was 9.7-90.3%. Adherence was associated with a lower prevalence of malnutrition. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of infant and young child malnutrition in this population is high. Adherence to WHO-recommended feeding practices was associated with a better nutritional status.

Mental health matters in elementary school: first-grade screening predicts fourth grade achievement test scores.

The objective of the study was to evaluate whether mental health problems identified through screens administered in first grade are related to poorer academic achievement test scores in the fourth grade. The government of Chile uses brief teacher- and parent-completed measures [Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised (TOCA-RR) and Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-Cl)] to screen for mental health problems in about one-fifth of the country's elementary schools. In fourth grade, students take the national achievement tests (SIMCE) of language, mathematics and science. This study examined whether mental health problems identified through either or both screens predicted achievement test scores after controlling for student and family risk factors. A total of 17,252 students had complete first grade teacher forms and these were matched with fourth grade SIMCE data for 11,185 students, 7,903 of whom also had complete parent form data from the first grade. Students at risk on either the TOCA-RR or the PSC-Cl or both performed significantly worse on all SIMCE subtests. Even after controlling for covariates and adjusting for missing data, students with mental health problems on one screen in first grade had fourth grade achievement scores that were 14-18 points (~1/3 SD) lower than students screened as not at risk. Students at risk on both screens had scores that were on average 33 points lower than students at risk on either screen. Mental health problems in first grade were one of the strongest predictors of lower achievement test scores 3 years later, supporting the premise that for children mental health matters in the real world.

Programa Nacional de JUNAEB en Salud Escolar Oftalmológica en Chile: análisis de sus resultados / Chilean National Program of Ophthalmologic School Health by JUNAEB: outcome analysis

Propósito: Evaluar programa para conocer epidemiología y analizar cumplimiento de normas receta de lentes. Método: Análisis estadístico de atenciones y recetas de lente durante 2003. Resultados: Existen 2.413.176 beneficiarios, refiriendo el profesor 163.223 (6,76 por ciento). Después screening, se realizaron 57.415 (2,38 por ciento) consultas nuevas, recetando lentes al 58,60 por ciento y 19,2 por ciento sanos, y 99.131 se realizaron 57.415 (2,38 por ciento) consultas nuevas, recetando lentes al 58,60 por ciento y 19,2 por ciento sanos, y 99.131 (4,11 por ciento) controles, prescribiendo lentes al 78,9 por ciento. Se acreditaron 102 oftalmólogos. Se analizan 1.736 lentes, 88,9 por ciento astigmatismo (40 por ciento miopes, 37 por ciento hipermetrópico y 12 por ciento mixtos) y 11,1 por ciento esféricos. Conclusiones: Una alianza entre JUNAEB y Sociedad Chilena de Oftalmología permitió mejorar eficiencia con screening y normas receta de lentes, elaborando programas para visión subnormal, catarata y estrabismo.