POPLINE Document Number: 081374
Author(s):
Baqui AH
Black RE
Sack RB
Chowdhury HR
Yunus M
Siddique AK
Source citation:
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, 1993 Feb 1;137(3):355-65.
Abstract:
A community-based longitudinal study was conducted in Matlab, a rural area of Bangladesh, from May 1988 to April 1989, to examine the associations among malnutrition, cell-mediated immune deficiency, and the incidence of diarrhea in children under age 5 years. A cohort of 705 children was followed for a year; illnesses were ascertained every 4th day by home visits, anthropometric status was evaluated monthly, and cell-mediated immune status was assessed by a multiple antigen skin test at baseline and every 3 months. The diarrhea incidence rate was 4.6 episodes/year. Approximately three fourths of the children were below -2z score weight for age and height for age, and about one third were below -2z score weight for height. There was a modest association between undernutrition and the incidence of diarrhea. About 10-20% of the study children were anergic, and these children experienced a 50% increased incidence of diarrhea compared with their immunocompetent counterparts. This association persisted after controlling for the effects of age, nutritional status, socioeconomic status, and history of diarrhea in the previous 3 months. Malnutrition and cell-mediated immune deficiency were important independent risk factors for the occurrence of diarrhea and must both be considered in the design of interventions for the control of this condition. (author's)
Keywords:
BangladeshIndex page
Longitudinal Studies
Rural Population
Gastrointestinal Effects
Diarrhea, Infantile
Diarrhea
Malnutrition
Immunological Effects
Risk Factors
Incidence
Anthropometry
Nutrition Indexes
Child
Infant
Asia, Southern
Asia
Developing Countries
Studies
Research Methodology
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Physiology
Biology
Diseases
Nutrition Disorders
Immunity
Immune System
Measurement
Nutrition
Health
Youth
Age Factors