Samiak Louis, Emeto Theophilus I
Department of Public Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
PLoS One. 2017 Nov 9;12(11):e0187796. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187796. eCollection 2017.
Delivery of health care services to rural and remote populations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is problematic. This is mainly due to difficulties with transportation and communication. Hence, the children in this region of PNG are likely to be at risk of malnutrition compounded by inadequate vaccination that may predispose them to preventable diseases. This study was conducted to determine the vaccination and nutritional status of children less than 5 years old in the remote and rural Karawari area of PNG. 105 children were included in the study, of whom 55% were male and 45% female. The mean age of children included in the study was 32.6 months. Their age, height, and weight by gender was not significantly different. Overall, 85% of children had incomplete vaccination. However, children above the median age of 32 months (34%) were more likely to be fully vaccinated for their age, χ2 (1) = 23.294, p < 0.005. In addition, 25% of children were below the -1 SD (Z-scores) for weight-for-height, 33% below the -1 SD for weight-for-age, and 25.5% below the -1 SD for height-for-age compared to WHO standards. A large proportion of children had poor nutrition status and lack protection from vaccine preventable diseases. This study recommends that the government should introduce a surveillance system for detecting issues of importance to the rural majority. We also recommend that the PNG government reopen the nearby health centre, and/ or establish new facilities within the region, with adequately trained and compensated staff.
在巴布亚新几内亚(PNG),为农村和偏远地区人口提供医疗保健服务存在问题。这主要是由于交通和通讯困难。因此,PNG这个地区的儿童很可能面临营养不良风险,同时疫苗接种不足,这可能使他们易患可预防疾病。本研究旨在确定PNG偏远农村地区卡拉瓦里地区5岁以下儿童的疫苗接种和营养状况。105名儿童纳入研究,其中55%为男性,45%为女性。研究纳入儿童的平均年龄为32.6个月。按性别划分,他们的年龄、身高和体重无显著差异。总体而言,85%的儿童疫苗接种不完整。然而,年龄高于32个月中位数(34%)的儿童按年龄更有可能完全接种疫苗,χ2(1)=23.294,p<0.005。此外,与世界卫生组织标准相比,25%的儿童身高别体重低于-1标准差(Z评分),33%的儿童年龄别体重低于-1标准差,25.5%的儿童年龄别身高低于-1标准差。很大一部分儿童营养状况不佳,缺乏对疫苗可预防疾病的保护。本研究建议政府应引入一个监测系统,以发现对农村多数人口重要的问题。我们还建议PNG政府重新开放附近的健康中心,和/或在该地区建立新设施,并配备训练有素且有薪酬保障的工作人员。
P N G Med J. 1984-6
Trop Geogr Med. 1994
Trop Geogr Med. 1979-12
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2024-12
Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2023-12-20
Children (Basel). 2023-9-30
Clin Infect Dis. 2023-11-30
Kathmandu Univ Med J (KUMJ). 2016
BMC Public Health. 2016-9-13
Int Health. 2010-9
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2012