Risk factors for nightblindness among women of childbearing age in Cambodia.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize risk factors for nightblindness among nonpregnant women of childbearing age, a group recently recognized to be at high risk of vitamin A deficiency in some developing countries.

DESIGN

Case-control study.

SETTING

The study included >15 000 households in National Micronutrient Survey of Cambodia conducted in 2000.

SUBJECTS

The prevalence of nightblindness among 13 358 nonpregnant women was 2.0%. A total of 328 nonpregnant women with nightblindness were matched by province with 1009 nonpregnant women without nightblindness.

METHODS

Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) as estimates of the relative risk of factors associated with nightblindness.

RESULTS

In a final model, materials in the wall of the house (OR 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-2.0), land ownership < or =0.5 hectares (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.9), nightblindness in last pregnancy (OR 44.5, 95% CI 29.2-67.8), parity >3 (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.1), diarrhea within the last 2 weeks (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.8), maternal body mass index <18.5 (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7), and lack of consumption of vitamin A-rich animal foods in the last 24 h (1-60 retinol equivalents (RE) OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.7-1.6; > or =60 RE, OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.4-1.0) were associated with nightblindness among nonpregnant women.

CONCLUSIONS

Women of childbearing age in Cambodia with low socioeconomic status, low consumption of vitamin A-rich animal foods, a history of nightblindness during the previous pregnancy, parity >3, malnutrition, and diarrhea have a higher risk of nightblindness.

SPONSORSHIP

United States Agency for International Development (442-G-00-95-00515-00).