Bantihun Ajebew, Gonete Kedir Abdela, Getie Azeb Atnafu, Atnafu Asmamaw
Amhara Regional State, Central Gondar Zone, Lay Armachiho District, Tekeldingay Health Office, Ethiopia.
Department of Human Nutrition, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Int J Pediatr. 2020 Nov 15;2020:5095620. doi: 10.1155/2020/5095620. eCollection 2020.
Night blindness (XN) is a condition in which a person cannot see in dim light and is the earliest clinical manifestation of vitamin A deficiency. Globally, vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in 122 countries, of which 45 countries have moderate to severe child night blindness. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing the prevalence and associated factors of night blindness and Bitot's spot among children aged 24-59 months.
A community-based cross-sectional study was employed from February to March 2019 among children aged 24-59 months in the Lay Armachiho District, Amhara region. A structured and pretested questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive summary statistics were used to describe the study population. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify associated factors.
Out of 1007 children, 1.9% and 2.2% had night blindness and Bitot's spot, respectively. Illiterate mothers (AOR = 2.94; 95%CI = (1.12, 6.72)), age of 48 to 59 months (AOR = 9.81; 95%CI = (1.24, 77.36)), ≥4 family sizes (AOR = 4.52; 95%CI = (1.02, 19.90)), had diarrhea (AOR = 5.00; 95%CI = (1.73, 14.54)), and had a respiratory tract infection (AOR = 3.14; 95%CI = (1.02, 9.70)) were significantly associated with night blindness. Age of 48-59 months (AOR = 4.23; 95%CI = (1.13, 14.86)) and mothers who did not wash their hands after using the toilet (AOR = 3.02; 95%CI = (1.01, 9.13)) were predictor variables for Bitot's spots.
The prevalence of night blindness and Bitot's spots was high. Child's age, mother's educational status, family size, diarrhea in the last 2 weeks, and respiratory tract infection in the last 2 weeks were predictive variables for night blindness. Besides, handwashing practice after using the toilet and child's age were significantly associated with Bitot's spot among children. Therefore, both night blindness and Bitot's spots are a public health problem and call for the attention of health professionals in primary health care facilities.
夜盲症（XN）是一种人在昏暗光线下无法视物的病症，是维生素A缺乏的最早临床表现。在全球范围内，122个国家存在维生素A缺乏这一公共卫生问题，其中45个国家有中度至重度儿童夜盲症。因此，本研究旨在评估24至59个月大儿童夜盲症和毕脱斑的患病率及相关因素。
2019年2月至3月，在阿姆哈拉地区莱阿马奇霍区对24至59个月大的儿童开展了一项基于社区的横断面研究。使用一份经过结构化和预测试的问卷进行数据收集。描述性汇总统计用于描述研究人群。采用双变量和多变量逻辑回归模型来确定相关因素。
在1007名儿童中，分别有1.9%和2.2%患有夜盲症和毕脱斑。母亲文盲（调整后比值比[AOR]=2.94；95%置信区间[CI]=(1.12, 6.72)）、年龄在48至59个月（AOR=9.81；95%CI=(1.24, 77.36)）、家庭规模≥4口人（AOR=4.52；95%CI=(1.02, 19.90)）、患腹泻（AOR=5.00；95%CI=(1.73, 14.54)）以及患呼吸道感染（AOR=3.14；95%CI=(1.02, 9.70)）与夜盲症显著相关。年龄在48至59个月（AOR=4.23；95%CI=(1.13, 14.86)）以及母亲在如厕后不洗手（AOR=3.02；95%CI=(1.01, 9.13)）是毕脱斑的预测变量。
夜盲症和毕脱斑的患病率较高。儿童年龄、母亲教育程度、家庭规模、过去2周内患腹泻以及过去2周内患呼吸道感染是夜盲症的预测变量。此外，儿童如厕后洗手习惯和儿童年龄与毕脱斑显著相关。因此，夜盲症和毕脱斑均为公共卫生问题，需要初级卫生保健机构的卫生专业人员予以关注。
