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Background Anaemia is one of the world’s most prevalent child health problems. Its control in Africa and other developing nations has been hindered by uncertainty regarding its cause. Anaemia control has been particularly problematic in regions where the non-iron deficiency causes of anaemia, are projected to be substantial. The implementation of effective interventions to reduce the anaemia prevalence, requires improved documentation on iron status and other causes of anaemia for target populations. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled n = 184 children, aged 6–8 years from Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Tests of haemoglobin, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor and C-reactive protein were performed. These conventional measures of iron status were used to calculate body iron and to categorize the children into different groups of anaemia profiles. Results Anaemia prevalence was high, 43/184 (23.4%). Iron deficiency anaemia contributed 7/43 (16.3%) to the anaemia prevalence compared to non-iron deficiency anaemia 34/43 (79.1%) and mixed anaemia 2/43 (4.7%). In total 47/184 (25.5%) of the sampled children had either iron deficiency or anaemia. Information about the presence of inflammation was used to adjust serum ferritin concentrations, resulting in improved diagnosis of iron deficiency. Conclusion Appropriate investigations for iron status and inflammation/infection screening, need to be integral in the evaluation of anaemia and its causes before anaemia control interventions are implemented. Interventions that target the multifactorial nature of anaemia in school-aged children need to be strengthened. Additionally, regular screening of anaemia in school-aged children from disadvantaged communities is recommended.

Background The benefits of zinc or multiple micronutrient supplementations in African children are uncertain. African children may differ from other populations of children in developing countries because of differences in the prevalence of zinc deficiency, low birth weight and preterm delivery, recurrent or chronic infections such as HIV, or the quality of complementary diets and genetic polymorphisms affecting iron metabolism. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether adding zinc or multiple micronutrients to vitamin A supplementation improves longitudinal growth or reduces prevalence of anemia in children aged 6-24 months. Methods Randomized, controlled double-blinded trial of prophylactic micronutrient supplementation to children aged 6-24 months. Children in three cohorts - 32 HIV-infected children, 154 HIV-uninfected children born to HIV-infected mothers, and 187 uninfected children born to HIV-uninfected mothers - were separately randomly assigned to receive daily vitamin A (VA) [n = 124], vitamin A plus zinc (VAZ) [n = 123], or multiple micronutrients that included vitamin A and zinc (MM) [n = 126]. Results Among all children there were no significant differences between intervention arms in length-for-age Z scores (LAZ) changes over 18 months. Among stunted children (LAZ below -2) [n = 62], those receiving MM had a 0.7 Z-score improvement in LAZ versus declines of 0.3 in VAZ and 0.2 in VA (P = 0.029 when comparing effects of treatment over time). In the 154 HIV-uninfected children, MM ameliorated the effect of repeated diarrhea on growth. Among those experiencing more than six episodes, those receiving MM had no decline in LAZ compared to 0.5 and 0.6 Z-score declines in children receiving VAZ and VA respectively (P = 0.06 for treatment by time interaction). After 12 months, there was 24% reduction in proportion of children with anemia (hemoglobin below 11 g/dL) in MM arm (P = 0.001), 11% in VAZ (P = 0.131) and 18% in VA (P = 0.019). Although the within arm changes were significant; the between-group differences were not significant. Conclusions Daily multiple micronutrient supplementation combined with vitamin A was beneficial in improving growth among children with stunting, compared to vitamin A alone or to vitamin A plus zinc. Effects on anemia require further study. Trial registration This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number .NCT00156832.

Background Caregiver compliance with referrals for child health services is essential to child health outcomes. Many studies in sub-Saharan Africa have examined compliance patterns for children referred for acute, life-threatening conditions but few for children referred for non-acute conditions. The aims of this analysis were to determine the rate of referral compliance and investigate factors associated with referral compliance in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Methods From September 2008–2010, a door-to-door household survey was conducted to identify children aged 4–6 years in outer-west eThekwini District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Of 2,049 identified, informed consent was obtained for 1787 (89%) children who were then invited for baseline assessments. 1581 children received standardized medical and developmental assessments at the study facility (Phase 1). Children with anemia, suspected disorders of vision, hearing, behavior and/or development and positive HIV testing were referred to local health facilities. Caregiver-reported compliance with referrals was assessed 18–24 months later (Phase 2). Relationships between socio-demographic factors and referral compliance were evaluated using chi-square tests. Results Of 1581 children, 516 received referrals for ≥1 non-acute conditions. At the time of analysis, 68% (1078 /1581) returned for Phase 2. Analysis was limited to children assessed in Phase 2 who received a referral in Phase 1 (n = 303). Common referral reasons were suspected disorders of hearing/middle ear (22%), visual acuity (12%) and anemia (14%). Additionally, children testing positive for HIV (6.6%) were also referred. Of 303 children referred, only 45% completed referrals. Referral compliance was low for suspected disorders of vision, hearing and development. Referral compliance was significantly lower for children with younger caregivers, those living in households with low educational attainment and for those with unstable caregiving. Conclusions Compliance with referrals for children with non-acute conditions is low within this population and appears to be influenced by caregiver age, household education level and stability of caregiving. Lack of treatment for hearing, vision and developmental problems can contribute to long-term cognitive difficulties. Further research is underway by this group to examine caregiver knowledge and attitudes about referral conditions and health system characteristics as potential determinants of referral compliance.

Given the existing evidence linking parental depression with infant and early child development, our aim was to describe the burden of mental health disorders among caregivers of young children aged 4–6 years living in an environment of poverty and high HIV seroprevalence. We analyzed baseline data from an epidemiologic study of the health and psychosocial needs of preschool-aged children. Primary caregivers of index children recruited from a household survey were screened for common mental disorders using the Client Diagnostic Questionnaire (CDQ). Sociodemographic, HIV and general health surveys were also conducted. Many caregivers (449/1,434; 31.3 %) screened positive for at least one psychiatric disorder on the CDQ, with post-traumatic-stress-disorder being the most common. Caregivers who screened positive for any disorder were more likely to be older, to have no individual sources of income and to have less formal education. Presence of a disorder was also significantly associated with lower employment levels within the household and death of a young child within the household. Known HIV-infected caregivers were more likely to have any mood disorder than caregivers who previously tested negative. The data support the need for mental health treatment interventions in South Africa, particularly interventions directed at PTSD and depression, and that take into account the high burden of poverty, HIV and childhood mortality. Given the limited formal mental health structure in South Africa to address these highly prevalent disorders; community-based mental health supports, available through decentralized health systems many be critical to delivering accessible interventions.

Background and Objectives Alcohol abuse, a significant health problem in South Africa, affects the ability of adults to care for children. Little is known regarding risky alcohol use among child caregivers there. A large population-based study examined the prevalence of, and factors associated with, risky drinking among caregivers of young children in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa comparing the use of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the AUDIT-C screens for hazardous or harmful drinking (referred to here as risky drinking). Methods 83 % of child caregivers from five tribal areas were interviewed using the 10-question AUDIT to screen for risky drinking. The AUDIT-C screen, a subset of AUDIT questions, targets alcohol consumption and binge drinking. Factors associated with risky drinking were investigated using logistic regression. Results 1434 caregivers participated, 98 % female. Sixteen percent reported ever drinking alcohol. Based on AUDIT criteria for risky drinking, 13 % of the sample scored as moderate drinkers, 2 % as hazardous users, and 1 % as harmful or dependent users (identifying 3 % as risky drinkers). Using AUDIT-C criteria to identify risky drinking significantly increased the proportion of caregivers identified as risky drinkers to 9 %. In multivariate analyses, factors associated with risky drinking were similar in both screens: partner violence, smoking, HIV-infection, caring for a child with disabilities. Conclusions for Practice Since the AUDIT-C identified risky alcohol use not otherwise detected with the full AUDIT, and since resources for screening in health care settings is limited, the AUDIT-C may be a more appropriate screen in populations where binge drinking is common.

To evaluate the safety of the intradermal Copenhagen BCG vaccine in neonates at different levels of delivery and neonatal units of the Durban Functional Region and surrounding regions. A prospective study was carried out over a two-year period between July 1997 and June 1999. All neonates who had been vaccinated with the intradermal vaccine were evaluated at immunization clinics six weeks after immunization, or earlier if adverse effects occurred. In total, 9763 neonates were examined: in 95.4% the vaccination scar had healed and 1.5% had no visible scar. Adverse events occurred in 3.1%. The proportion of neonates with no visible vaccination scars decreased over the study period, as did the number with adverse events. The lowest rate of adverse events and the highest rates of healed vaccination scars were seen in the tertiary hospital and regional and district hospitals that were in close proximity to the academic centre involved in this study. In the study sites, the transition from the percutaneous to intradermal route of administration of BCG vaccine was successful and took place without incurring unacceptably high rates of adverse events. To minimize adverse events, however, it is essential to continue training health personnel involved in implementing intradermal BCG vaccination programmes.

To describe the cost of diarrhoeal illness in children aged 6-24 months in a rural South African community and to determine the threshold prevalence of stunting at which universal Zn plus vitamin A supplementation (VAZ) would be more cost-effective than vitamin A alone (VA) in preventing diarrhoea. We conducted a cost analysis using primary and secondary data sources. Using simulations we examined incremental costs of VAZ relative to VA while varying stunting prevalence. Data on efficacy and societal costs were largely from a South African trial. Secondary data were from local and international published sources. The trial included children aged 6-24 months. The secondary data sources were a South African health economics survey and the WHO-CHOICE (CHOosing Interventions that are Cost Effective) database. In the trial, stunted children supplemented with VAZ had 2·04 episodes (95 % CI 1·37, 3·05) of diarrhoea per child-year compared with 3·92 episodes (95 % CI 3·02, 5·09) in the VA arm. Average cost of illness was $Int 7·80 per episode (10th, 90th centile: $Int 0·28, $Int 15·63), assuming a minimum standard of care (oral rehydration and 14 d of therapeutic Zn). In simulation scenarios universal VAZ had low incremental costs or became cost-saving relative to VA when the prevalence of stunting was close to 20 %. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were sensitive to the cost of intervention and coverage levels. This simulation suggests that universal VAZ would be cost-effective at current levels of stunting in parts of South Africa. This requires further validation under actual programmatic conditions.

Background/Objective: The efficacy of zinc combined with vitamin A or multiple micronutrients in preventing diarrhoea is unclear in African countries with high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-exposed children. Potential modifying factors, such as stunting, need to be addressed. The objective of this study was to determine whether adding zinc or zinc plus multiple micronutrients to vitamin A reduces diarrhoea incidence, and whether this differs between the strata of stunted or HIV-infected children. Methods: We analyzed data from a randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00156832) of prophylactic micronutrient supplementation to children aged 6-24 months. Three cohorts of children: 32 HIV-infected children, 154 HIV-uninfected children born to HIV-infected mothers and 187 uninfected children born to HIV-uninfected mothers, received vitamin A, vitamin A plus zinc or multiple micronutrients, which included vitamin A and zinc. The main outcome was incidence of diarrhoea. Poisson regression was used in intent-to-treat analyses. Stratified analyses followed testing for statistical interaction between intervention and stunting. Results: We observed no significant differences in overall diarrhoea incidence among treatment arms. Stunting modified this effect with stunted HIV-uninfected children having significantly lower diarrhoea incidence when supplemented with zinc or multiple micronutrients compared with vitamin A alone (2.04 and 2.23 vs 3.92 episodes/year, respectively, P=0.024). No meaningful subgroup analyses could be done in the cohort of HIV-infected children. Conclusions: Compared with vitamin A alone, supplementation with zinc and with zinc and multiple micronutrients, reduced diarrhoea morbidity in stunted rural South African children. Efficacy of zinc supplementation in HIV-infected children needs confirmation in studies that represent the spectrum of disease severity and age groups.

Background. There are limited data on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among children in settings with a high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We studied the epidemiology of RSV-associated acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) hospitalizations among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children in South Africa. Methods. Children aged <5 years admitted to sentinel surveillance hospitals with physician-diagnosed neonatal sepsis or ALRTI were enrolled. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were tested by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for RSV and other viruses. Associations between possible risk factors and severe outcomes for RSV infection among HIV-infected and uninfected children were examined. The relative risk of hospitalization in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children was calculated in 1 site with population denominators. Results. Of 4489 participants, 4293 (96%) were tested for RSV, of whom 1157 (27%) tested positive. With adjustment for age, HIV-infected children had a 3-5-fold increased risk of hospitalization with RSV-associated ALRTI (2010 relative risk, 5.6; [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.5-6.4]; 2011 relative risk, 3.1 [95% CI, 2.6-3.6]). On multivariable analysis, HIV-infected children with RSV-associated ALRTI had higher odds of death (adjusted odds ratio. 31.1; 95% CI, 5.4-179.8) and hospitalization for >5 days (adjusted odds ratio, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.5-10.6) than HIV-uninfected children. Conclusion. HIV-infected children have a higher risk of hospitalization with RSV-associated ALRTI and a poorer outcome than HIV-uninfected children. These children should be targeted for interventions aimed at preventing severe RSV disease.