Health survey on the Ilha da Conceição, state of Rio de Janeiro, II: selected health characteristics in children

Abstract

A s p a r t of th e h e a lth su rve y on th e Ilh a d a C onceição, a 25 p erce n t ran dom sa m p le of h ouseholãs w as iã e n tifie ã a n d a h e a lth g u estio n n a ire c o m p leted a t 236 h ou seh olãs. T h ese h ou seh olãs co n ta in eã 536 ch ildren , o f w h o m 239 w ere u n d er age six. P ren a ta l care h a d b een o b ta in eã b y 70 p e r c e n t of th e m o th ers du rin g th e p regn an cies o f th e yo u n g est ch ild ren a n d 83 p e rc e n t of th e se p h ildren h a d been born in h o sp ita l.T h e use o f a va ila b le h e a lth fa c ilitie s w as re p o rteã m ore fre q u e n tly fo r th e yo u n g er ch ild ren in com parison to th e o lder c h ild r e n ■ O ver 90 p erce n t of th e ch ildren h ad been v a c cin a te d a g a in st one or m o re â iseases b u t o n ly 50 to 60 p e r c e n t of th e ch ildren h a ã co m p lete va c cin a tio n a g a in st p ertu ssis, d ip h th eria a n d te ta n u s. A lm o st tw o -th ir d s of th e stool sp ecim en s fro m th e ch ild ren revea leã evid en ce o f p a ra site s a n ã w ere m o st co m m o n ly fo u n ã in ch ild ren tw o to th re e yea rs of age. Low hem oglobin values w ere fo u n ã co m m o n ly u n der age th re e an d h em oglobin leveis ábove 12 g ra m s w e re n o t co m m o n ly fo u n ã u n til age six .C om pareã w ith a N orth A m erican sta n d a rd fo r h e ig h t a n d w eig h t, p ro p o rtio n a te ly m ore ch ildren on th e Ilh a da C onceição w ere fo u n ã below th e 25th an d 3rd p erce n tiles.T h ese fin d in g s su g g est th a t an im p ro ve ã h ea lth sta tu s fo r th e ch ilã ren on th e Ilh a ã a Conceição w ou lã re su lt from a h ouseholã h e a lth recorã m a in ta in eã a t th e isla n ã clinic in clu ãin g cu rre n t In form a tio n on va c cin a tio n sta tu s o f ali ch ildren , a n ã a h e a lth eãu cation pro g ra m focu seã on e x p e c ta n t m o th ers an ã th e w ell b a b y clinic prog ra m .