Comparison between the World Health Organization and Bahraini children growth standards / Comparação entre as curvas de crescimento para crianças do Bahrein e da Organização Mundial da Saúde

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the growth patterns of Bahraini female and male infants/young children aged 0-24 months in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Methods: A cross-sectional approach was employed to track the growth parameters among healthy Bahraini female and male infants/children aged 0-24 months. A multistage probability sampling criteria was used to collect information from official records. Anthropometric measurements (weight and length) and demographic characteristics on feeding practices were gathered. Generalized Additive Models for Location Scale and Shape (GAMLSS)/Lambda-Mu-Sigma methodology was implemented to select distribution type, optimize smoothing parameters, perform regression of growth models, and construct percentiles and Z-score charts and tables for weight for age, length for age, length for weight, and body mass index (BMI) for age. Results: Findings were compared with WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) data. A total of 403 healthy infants/children (210 males and 193 females) were recruited. At birth, the mean weight, length, and BMI were 3.2±0.4 kg, 3.1±0.4 kg, 49.7±2.3 cm, 48.8±2.1 cm, 13.2±1.6 kg/m2, and 12.8±1.5 kg/m2 for males and females, respectively. Anthropometrics of males were all statistically significantly higher than those of females at all age levels. The length and weight of the Bahraini infants/children were slightly higher than those of the WHO-MGRS. Conclusion: The outcomes of this study, presented as charts and tables, showed significant differences in comparison with the WHO-MGRS reference charts. Specifically, Bahraini children aged between 0 and 24 months of both sexes were taller and heavier than their cohorts in the MGRS reference charts. Further longitudinal studies are needed for monitoring the growth pattern of children using body composition methods, adiposity markers, and determinant factors of growth to investigate this deviation from the WHO-MGRS.

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar os padrões de crescimento de lactentes de 0-24 meses dos sexos feminino e masculino, no Reino do Bahrein. Métodos: Estudo transversal de acompanhamento de lactentes saudáveis com 0-24 meses de idade dos sexos feminino e masculino, em Bahrein. A amostragem probabilística de estágios múltiplos foi utilizada para coletar informações dos registros oficiais. Medidas antropométricas (peso, comprimento), práticas alimentares e variáveis demográficas foram coletadas. A metodologia Generalized Additive Models for Location Scale and Shape (GAMLSS)/Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS) foi utilizada para selecionar o tipo de distribuição dos parâmetros antropométricos, otimizar os parâmetros de suavização, para fazer a análise de regressão de modelos de crescimento e para construir percentis e gráficos e tabelas de escore Z para peso para idade, comprimento por idade, comprimento por peso e índice de massa corporal (IMC) para idade. Os resultados foram comparados com os dados do Estudo Multicêntrico de Referência de Crescimento da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). Resultados: O total de 403 lactentes (210 do sexo masculino e 193 do feminino) foi incluído no estudo. Ao nascimento, a média de peso, comprimento e IMC foi de 3,2±0,4 kg, 3,1±0,4 kg, 49,7±2,3 cm, 48,8±2,1 cm, 13,2±1,6 kg/m2 e 12,8±1,5 kg/m2 para o sexo masculino e para o feminino, respectivamente. Todos os índices antropométricos foram maiores no sexo masculino. O comprimento e o peso dos lactentes em Bahrein foram ligeiramente superiores aos da OMS. Conclusões: Os lactentes do Bahrein com idade entre 0 e 24 meses de ambos os sexos eram mais altos e mais pesados do que os lactentes analisados na coorte da OMS. Mais estudos longitudinais são necessários para monitorar o padrão de crescimento de crianças usando métodos de composição corporal, marcadores de adiposidade e fatores determinantes do crescimento para investigar esse desvio dos padrões da OMS.

A mapping study and recommendations for a joint NGO (Think Pink) and Bahrain Government Breast Cancer project.

AIMS: Breast cancer within the region continues to present challenges to the healthcare services. Strategies to shed light on clinical gaps could better support country-specific circumstances. The aims of the mapping study were to identify the gaps in the evidence base, for the management of breast cancer with relevance to Bahrain and the Gulf Region. In parallel, focusing on areas and directions of research, which are compatible with international and local clinical interests. It was envisaged that the mapping project would expose not only opportunities to improve support to the community but also illustrate the possible engagement of a government entity and a Nongovernment Organization in a private-public partnership. METHOD: An extensive literature review of local and international publications from the period between 1979 and 2015 was undertaken. Searches were conducted using free-text terms, singularly or combined, with no limiters, to provide unrestricted retrieval of available English studies. RESULTS: A total of 326 citations were identified, which after deduplication provided 277 unique citations of which included 236 studies within 13 different categories, relevant to breast cancer within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). CONCLUSION: Contextualizing gaps in literature and, therefore, providing evidence-based decisions, not only support the enduser, but better support the country-specific challenges and burdens to healthcare. Three broad but key areas were identified after mapping of the literature, covering:screening and mammography, knowledge translation and dissemination, and lymphoedema postsurgical resection. Similar mapping projects could be undertaken by other national NGO's to better support the government and solidify the framework for a public-private partnership.

Bending the urban flow: a construction-migration strategy.

PIP: The excess rate of migration to urban centers is a problem affecting over 50 developing countries and 18 developed ones (68% of the world's population). Policies that rely on compulsion or disincentives have mostly failed because they do not deal with the cause of the problem. This paper proposes a strategy of increasing or decreasing the rate of housing construction in different urban areas as a means of stimulating or reducing migration to those areas; in most developing areas priority is given to residential construction in already congested metropolitan areas. 5 assumptions are the basis for this approach: 1) migrants tend to gravitate to the most powerful growth poles; 2) residential construction is a leading sector of regional and urban economies; 3) the encouragement of construction activity will make itself felt indirectly via its effect on construction-related employment; 4) rates of residential construction may be manipulated through government policy affecting the cost of materials, availability of loans, level of unionization, and price of housing; and 5) residential construction is amenable to quick policy action. The central idea of the strategy is that an increase in residential construction will exercise a pull on migrants, increasing job opportunities, raising incomes, lowering housing costs, and improving the chances of home ownership. This idea has been verified by various projects in Hong Kong, Ghana, Venezuela, Brazil, Bahrain, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, USSR, and the UK. In Bahrain low-income housing programs have been used to relocate Bahraini nationals in new outlying suburbs and to promote population growth in rural villages. In Mexico self-help and low-income housing programs have helped to redirect migrants headed for small towns toward smaller communities. There is also evidence to show that building construction has the potential to expand and contribute to economic growth. Some problems of implementation might be finding an adequate economic base, the need to place new communities close to primate cities, the use of large portions of the national budget, and profit-maximizing plans have been detrimental to the speed and development of construction migration. Some benefits for smaller urban areas of construction migrants in developing countries are: 1) emphasis on the development of a labor-intensive industry, 2) little training of workers as needed, 3) it can provide the housing required by industries planning to move to smaller areas, 4) this housing will be cheaper, and 5) incentives will exist to save and invest in the smaller areas.^ieng

[Family planning. A survey of United Nations around the world]. / Le planning familial. Une enquete des Nations Unies a travers le monde.

PIP: Responses to the second worldwide survey of 80 nations on their population policy can be divided into 3 categories. First are countries with large official programs of family planning in existence: Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia, Barbados, Colombia, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, China, India, Iran, Japan, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Viet-nam, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Denmark, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia, Canada, and Fiji. Madagascar and New Zealand are starting programs. The second category is countries that encourage private family planning programs: Tanzania, Mexico, Israel, Cambodia, Bahrain, Jordan, Laos, Syria, Austria, France, West Germany, Finland, and Norway. Third are listed countries that do not officially support, or that forbid contraception: Gabon, Malawi, Zambia, Greece, Italy, and Spain. Thus Asia and North Africa have the most ambitious programs, but Europe and North America practice contraception universally.^ieng