Legoale Patience O, Manafe Mashudu
Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa.
Department of Health, Provincial Office, Mangaung, South Africa.
Health SA. 2024 Jul 12;29:2587. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v29i0.2587. eCollection 2024.
Growth monitoring plays an essential role in the development of young children. Anthropometric indices are of utmost importance for healthcare professionals to identify children at risk of inadequate growth and malnutrition.
This study aimed to assess the capturing of the growth indices in the Road to Health Booklets (RTHB) in clinics.
The study was carried out in Mangaung Metropolitan municipal clinics in the Free State province, South Africa.
A descriptive quantitative study was conducted using a checklist to audit 264 RTHBs. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse data.
The findings showed that birth weight was recorded in most 99% ( = 262) of the RTHBs. The mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) was not recorded in 58% ( = 153) of the cases during the last visit. Weight-for-Age (WfA) was routinely plotted in 91% ( = 241) of the RTHB. The length or Height-for-Age (LHfA) was plotted in 38% ( = 99) of the RTHB and Weight-for-Length or height (WfLH) was plotted in 31% ( = 81) of the RTHB.
The results demonstrated that certain anthropometric measures including MUAC, length, or height were absent from the records of the RTHB. Consequently, RTHB may not be effectively used as a means of evaluating nutritional status, affecting early detection of malnutrition in children.
The research makes a valuable addition to the existing body of knowledge for monitoring growth and measurement of anthropometric indices in the RTHB, as well as the appropriate execution of these practices.
生长监测在幼儿发育中起着至关重要的作用。人体测量指标对于医疗保健专业人员识别生长发育不足和营养不良风险的儿童极为重要。
本研究旨在评估诊所中《健康之路手册》（RTHB）里生长指标的记录情况。
该研究在南非自由州省曼加翁大都市市政诊所开展。
采用描述性定量研究方法，使用清单对264本RTHB进行审核。运用描述性统计分析数据。
研究结果显示，大多数（99%，即262本）RTHB记录了出生体重。上次访视时，58%（即153例）的病例未记录上臂中部周长（MUAC）。91%（即241本）的RTHB常规绘制年龄别体重（WfA）。38%（即99本）的RTHB绘制年龄别身长或身高（LHfA），31%（即81本）的RTHB绘制身长或身高别体重（WfLH）。
结果表明，RTHB记录中缺少某些人体测量指标，包括MUAC、身长或身高。因此，RTHB可能无法有效地用作评估营养状况的手段，影响儿童营养不良的早期发现。
该研究为现有关于RTHB中生长监测和人体测量指标测量的知识体系，以及这些做法的正确实施做出了有价值的补充。
