Varzaghan Earthquake Affected Mothers’ and Their Newborns’ Health More Severely, in Socioeconomically Vulnerable Area

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (03) ◽  
pp. 511-518
Author(s):  
Mehdi Esfandyari ◽  
Elnaz Vaghef-Mehrabany ◽  
Mehrangiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani

ABSTRACTObjectiveWe aimed to compare the pregnancy status of the pregnant women and birth status of their newborns, socioeconomic status, and access to health services, between high- and low-damage areas in Heris, affected by the Varzaghan Earthquake, 2012.MethodsThe study was conducted on pregnant women at any trimester of pregnancy (with complete medical profiles in local health centers) in August 2012 (time of the earthquake) who lived in Heris and delivered up to March 2013. Data were obtained on pregnancy- and infant-related variables, housing, socioeconomic status, and access to health services, including food supplies, before and after the earthquake.ResultsFamily income and mothers’ education were lower in highly damaged areas. Among these women, underweight at first trimester of pregnancy was higher, and weight gain during the last trimester was lower, compared with low-damage regions. Preterm delivery was higher in low-damage areas. Birth indices of the infants were not significantly different between the 2 areas; however, in highly damaged areas, moderate malnutrition was more prevalent among children under 1 year (weight-for-age) and under 2 years (height-for-age).ConclusionsSocioeconomic status of mothers was lower in highly damaged areas and might have played a role in their own and newborns’ health status. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13: 511-518)

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (suppl 2) ◽  
pp. 39-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Xavier de Santiago ◽  
Ivana Cristina de Holanda Cunha Barreto ◽  
Ana Cecília Silveira Lins Sucupira ◽  
José Wellington de Oliveira Lima ◽  
Luiz Odorico Monteiro de Andrade

INTRODUCTION: The Brazilian National Health System may reduce inequalities in access to health services through strategies that can reach those most in need with no access to care services. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with the use of health service by children aged 5 to 9 years in the city of Sobral, Ceará, northeastern Brazil. RESULTS: Only 558 (17.0%) children used health care services in the 30 days preceding this survey. Children with any health condition (OR = 3.90) who were frequent attenders of primary care strategy of organization (the Family Health Strategy, FHS) (OR = 1.81) and living in the city's urban area (OR = 1.51) were more likely to use health services. Almost 80% of children used FHS as their referral care service. Children from poorer families and with easier access to services were more likely to be FHS users. CONCLUSION: The study showed that access to health services has been relatively equitable through the FHS, a point of entry to the local health system.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e029059
Author(s):  
Philippe Bocquier ◽  
Abdramane Bassiahi Soura ◽  
Souleymane Sanogo ◽  
Sara Randall

BackgroundSelective migration may affect health indicators in both urban and rural areas. Sub-Saharan African urban areas show evidence of both negative and positive selection on health status at outmigration. Health outcomes as measured in urban populations may not reflect local health risks and access to health services.MethodsUsing the Ouagadougou Health and Demographic Surveillance System and a migrant follow-up survey, we measured differences in health between matched non-migrants and outmigrants. We applied Cox and competing risks models on migration and death.ResultsControlling for premigration health status, migrants who moved out of Ouagadougou have higher mortality (HR 3.24, 95% CI 1.23 to 8.58) than non-migrants and migrants moving to other Ouagadougou areas. However, these effects vanish in the matched sample controlling for all interactions between death determinants. These and other results show little evidence that migration led to higher mortality or worse health.ConclusionsHealth outcomes as measured in Ouagadougou population do reflect local health risks and access to health services despite high migration intensity. However, neither the hypothesis of effect of health on migration nor the hypothesis of negative effect of migration on health or survival was confirmed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviana Stampini ◽  
Alice Monzani ◽  
Silvia Caristia ◽  
Gianluigi Ferrante ◽  
Martina Gerbino ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, drastic measures for social distancing have been introduced also in Italy, likely with a substantial impact in delicate conditions like pregnancy and puerperium. The study aimed to investigate the changes in lifestyle, access to health services, and mental wellbeing during the first Italian lockdown in a sample of Italian pregnant women and new mothers. Methods We carried out a web-based survey to evaluate how pregnant women and new mothers were coping with the lockdown. We collected data about healthy habits (physical exercise and dietary habits), access to health services (care access, delivery and obstetric care, neonatal care, and breastfeeding), and mental wellbeing (psychological well-being and emotive support). Descriptive analysis was performed for both groups of participants, whereas a Poisson analysis was used to measure the association between some structural variables (age, education, socio-economic data, partner support, contact, free time, previous children, and pregnancy trimester) and anxiety or depression, difficulties in healthy eating and reduction in physical activity after lockdown started. Chi2 and Adjusted Prevalence Ratios were estimated only for pregnant women. Results We included 739 respondents (response rate 85.8 %), 600 were pregnant (81.2 %), and 139 (18.8 %) had delivered during lockdown (new mothers). We found a high score for anxiety and depression in 62.8 % of pregnant women and 61.9 % of new mothers. During the lockdown, 61.8 % of pregnant women reduced their physical exercise, and 44.3 % reported eating in a healthier way. 94.0 % of new mothers reported to have breastfed their babies during the hospital stay. Regarding the perceived impact of restrictive measures on breastfeeding, no impact was reported by 56.1 % of new mothers, whereas a negative one by 36.7 %. Conclusions The high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in pregnant women and new mothers should be a public health issue. Clinicians might also recommend and encourage “home” physical exercise. On the other hand, about half of the sample improved their approach towards healthy eating and a very high breastfeeding rate was reported soon after birth: these data are an interesting starting point to develop new strategies for public health.


Circulation ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 125 (16) ◽  
pp. 2006-2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn A. Clark ◽  
Neil Coffee ◽  
Dorothy Turner ◽  
Kerena A. Eckert ◽  
Deborah van Gaans ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Andrea Pacheco Barzallo

ResumenEl terremoto de abril de 2016 ocurrido en la costa ecuatoriana afectó a decenas de ciudades y sus resultados repercutieron de manera especial en algunos colectivos. Los servicios de salud se saturaron y, por diferentes motivos, quedaron inaccesibles para parte de la población. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la movilidad peatonal y el acceso de forma autónoma a los servicios de salud para personas mayores y con discapacidad en tres de las ciudades más afectadas de la provincia donde tuvo lugar el epicentro del terremoto: Manta, Pedernales y Portoviejo. La metodología incluye la revisión de literatura científica y normativas técnicas sobre la movilidad peatonal para personas mayores o con discapacidad y, sobre los aportes y parámetros tomados de la literatura, se realiza una fotointerpretación del medio físico en las situaciones antes del terremoto, misma que es comparada con la situación post-terremoto en base a la elaboración y recopilación de cartografía. Los resultados indican que las condiciones del territorio, antes y después del desastre, impedían el acceso de forma autónoma a los servicios de salud para las personas mayores con discapacidad.AbstractThe earthquake of April 2016 that occurred on the Ecuadorian coast affected dozens of cities and its results had a special impact on some groups. Health services were saturated and for different reasons, they were inaccessible for part of the population. The objective of this paper is to analyze the forms of pedestrian mobility and autonomous access to health services for the elderly with disabilities after the earthquake in three of the most affected cities: Manta, Pedernales and Portoviejo. The methodology used includes a literature review of technical documents and standards about inclusive pedestrian mobility, and based on the parameters taken from these documents, an evaluation through photointerpretation of the physical environment conditions previous to the earthquake, is made. The results of this evaluation are compared with the post-disaster situation through the elaboration and collection of cartography. The results show that the territorial conditions limited the autonomous mobility and access to health services for the elderly with disabilities in both situations, before and after the earthquake.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 233
Author(s):  
Dyan Widyaningsih ◽  
Elza Samantha Elmira ◽  
Andi Misbahul Pratiwi

<p>The health of pregnant women often becomes an indicator of human development. On the other hand, the fact of the high maternal mortality rate, raises questions related to the government’s attention to the health of pregnant women, especially women in poor areas. This article focuses on poor women’s access to health services for antenatal care and childbirth in five regencies in Indonesia. The aspects studied include the availability of health services for antenatal care and childbirth, poor women’s access to these services, and supporting factors/actors and barriers to poor women’s access to health services. This article showed that the availability of health facilities is not always in line with the increased awareness of pregnant women to access these services. Road infrastructure condition, distance, and cost to access health service still remain a challenge. Meanwhile, the policy of incentives and disincentives to traditional birth attendants has an influence on the increasing number of pregnant women who check their pregnancies and childbirth at health facilities. Thus, health issues of pregnant women and safe childbirth require a different effort. Aspects of the local context and supporting infrastructure also require serious attention.</p><p> </p>


2019 ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Andrea Pacheco Barzallo

ResumenEl terremoto de abril de 2016 ocurrido en la costa ecuatoriana afectó a decenas de ciudades y sus resultados repercutieron de manera especial en algunos colectivos. Los servicios de salud se saturaron y, por diferentes motivos, quedaron inaccesibles para parte de la población. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la movilidad peatonal y el acceso de forma autónoma a los servicios de salud para personas mayores y con discapacidad en tres de las ciudades más afectadas de la provincia donde tuvo lugar el epicentro del terremoto: Manta, Pedernales y Portoviejo. La metodología incluye la revisión de literatura científica y normativas técnicas sobre la movilidad peatonal para personas mayores o con discapacidad y, sobre los aportes y parámetros tomados de la literatura, se realiza una fotointerpretación del medio físico en las situaciones antes del terremoto, misma que es comparada con la situación post-terremoto en base a la elaboración y recopilación de cartografía. Los resultados indican que las condiciones del territorio, antes y después del desastre, impedían el acceso de forma autónoma a los servicios de salud para las personas mayores con discapacidad.AbstractThe earthquake of April 2016 that occurred on the Ecuadorian coast affected dozens of cities and its results had a special impact on some groups. Health services were saturated and for different reasons, they were inaccessible for part of the population. The objective of this paper is to analyze the forms of pedestrian mobility and autonomous access to health services for the elderly with disabilities after the earthquake in three of the most affected cities: Manta, Pedernales and Portoviejo. The methodology used includes a literature review of technical documents and standards about inclusive pedestrian mobility, and based on the parameters taken from these documents, an evaluation through photointerpretation of the physical environment conditions previous to the earthquake, is made. The results of this evaluation are compared with the post-disaster situation through the elaboration and collection of cartography. The results show that the territorial conditions limited the autonomous mobility and access to health services for the elderly with disabilities in both situations, before and after the earthquake.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-12
Author(s):  
Xavier Crombé ◽  
Joanna Kuper

Abstract This article seeks to document and analyse violence affecting the provision of healthcare by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and its intended beneficiaries in the early stage of the current civil war in South Sudan. Most NGO accounts and quantitative studies of violent attacks on healthcare tend to limit interpretation of their prime motives to the violation of international norms and deprivation of access to health services. Instead, we provide a detailed narrative, which contextualises violent incidents affecting healthcare, with regard for the dynamics of conflict in South Sudan as well as MSF’s operational decisions, and which combines and contrasts institutional and academic sources with direct testimonies from local MSF personnel and other residents. This approach offers greater insight not only into the circumstances and logics of violence but also into the concrete ways in which healthcare practices adapt in the face of attacks and how these may reveal and put to the test the reciprocal expectations binding international and local health practitioners in crisis situations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenling Hu ◽  
Huanqing Hu ◽  
Wei Zhao ◽  
Aiqun Huang ◽  
Qi Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Antenatal care (ANC) played a crucial role in ensuring maternal and child safety and reducing the risk of complications, disability, and death in mothers and their infants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the current status of ANC emphasizing the number, timing, and content of examinations on a national scale. Methods The data was collected from maternal and newborn’s health monitoring system at 8 provinces in China. After ethical approval, all pregnant women registered in the system at their first prenatal care visit, we included 49,084 pregnant women who had delivered between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Descriptive statistics of all study variables were calculated proportions and chi-square for categorical variables. Results Of the 49,084 women included in this study, the mean number of ANC visits was 6.95 ± 3.45. By percentage, 78.79% women received ANC examinations at least five times, 39.93% of the women received ANC examinations at least eight times and 16.66% of the women received ANC examinations at least 11 times. The proportion of first ANC examination in first trimester was 61.87%. The percentage of normative ANC examinations and the percentage of qualified ANC examinations were 30.98 and 8.03% respectively. Only 49.40% of the total women received all six kinds of examination items in first ANC examination: 91.47% received a blood test, 91.62% received a urine test, 81.56% received a liver function examination, 80.52% received a renal function examination, 79.07% received a blood glucose test, and 86.66% received a HIV/HBV/syphilis tests. 50.85% women received the first ANC examination in maternal and child health care (MCH) institutions, 14.07% in a general hospital, 18.83% in a township hospital, 13.15% in a community health services center, and 3.08% in an unspecified place. The proportion of women who received each of the ANC examination items in community health services center was the highest, but that in the MCH institutions was the lowest. Conclusions There is a big difference between the results of this study and the data in official reports, this study found the current status of antenatal care is not optimal in China, findings from this study suggest that the systematization, continuity and quality of ANC examinations need to be improved.


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