Impact of universal health coverage on child growth and nutrition in Argentina

P.A. Nuñez, D. Fernández-Slezak, A. Farall, M.E. Szretter, O.D. Salomón and C.R. Valeggia

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 4, 720-726

Abstract: Objectives. To estimate trends of undernutrition (stunting and underweight) among children younger than 5 years covered by the universal health coverage programs Plan Nacer and Programa Sumar. Methods. From 2005 to 2013, Plan Nacer and Programa Sumar collected high-quality information on birth and visit dates, age (in days), gender, weight (in kg), and height (in cm) for 1.4 million children in 6386 health centers (13 million records) with broad coverage of vulnerable populations in Argentina. Results.The prevalence of stunting and underweight decreased 45.0% (from 20.6% to 11.3%) and 38.0% (from 4.0% to 2.5%), respectively, with differences between rural versus urban areas, gender, regions, age, and seasons. Conclusions. Undernutrition prevalence substantially decreased in 2 programs in Argentina as a result of universal health coverage.

Keywords: Argentina; body height; body weight; child development; Child Nutrition Disorders; female; growth; Growth Disorders; human; infant; insurance; male; newborn; nutritional status; preschool child; prevalence; rural population; socioeconomics; urban population; vulnerable population, Argentina; Body Height; Child Development; Child Nutrition Disorders; Child, Preschool; Female; Growth; Growth Disorders; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Nutritional Status; Prevalence; Rural Population; Socioeconomic Factors; Thinness; Universal Coverage; Urban Population; Vulnerable Populations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303056_1

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303056

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