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Geographical Locations - Honduras
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- (Statistical) Number of Inhabitants per Doctor: 3,090
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- Associations between maternal experiences of intimate partner violence and child nutrition and mortality: findings from Demographic and Health Surveys in Egypt, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi and Rwanda
Background: If effective interventions are to be used to address child mortality and malnutrition, then it is important that we understand the different pathways operating within the framework of child health. More attention needs to be given to understanding the contribution of social influences such as intimate partner violence (IPV). Aim: To investigate the relationship between maternal exposure to IPV and child mortality and malnutrition using data from five developing countries. Methods: Population data from Egypt, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi and Rwanda were analysed. Logistic regression analysis was used to generate odds ratios of the associations between several categories of maternal exposure to IPV since the age of 15 and three child outcomes: under-2-year-old (U2) mortality and moderate and severe stunting (<-2 Z-score height-for-age and <-3 Z-score height-for-age) in 6e59-month-old children. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders, and the role of mediating factors was explored. Results: The prevalence of physical and/or sexual IPV since the age of 15 years ranged from 15.5% (Honduras) to 46.2% (Kenya). For child stunting, prevalence ranged from 25.4% (Egypt) to 58.0% (Malawi) and for U2 mortality from 3.6% (Honduras) to 15.2% (Rwanda). In Kenya, maternal exposure to IPV was associated with higher U2 mortality (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.42, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.71) and child stunting (adjusted OR=1.36, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.61). In Malawi and Honduras, marginal associations were observed between IPV and severe stunting and U2 mortality, respectively, with strength of associations varying by type of violence. Conclusion: The relationship between IPV and U2 mortality and stunting in Kenya, Honduras and Malawi suggests that, in these countries, IPV plays a role in child malnutrition and mortality. This contributes to a growing body of evidence that broader public health benefits may be incurred if efforts to address IPV are incorporated into a wider range of maternal and child health programmes; however, the authors highlight the need for more research that can establish temporality, use data collected on the basis of the study’s objectives, and further explore the causal framework of this relationship using more advanced statistical analysis. [author abstract] [J Epidemiol Community Health (2010), jech.2008.081810 - Published Online: 14 September 2010]
- Baseline Assessments of Essential Obstetric Care: Bolivia, Ecuador, and Honduras
In an attempt to address high maternal mortality and morbidity in Latin America and the Caribbean, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) began the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Initiative to Reduce Maternal Mortality (LAMM) in 1996. Recognizing that existing USAID-supported programs already address family planning, prenatal care, and clean delivery strategies to reduce maternal mortality, LAMM targets essential obstetric care at the first level of referral facilities. Bolivia, Ecuador, and Honduras were sites for the development and pilot testing of essential obstetric care (EOC) interventions. Under LAMM, the Quality Assurance Project (QAP) is responsible for supporting process redesign and quality improvement teams as they address weak components in the EOC system. QAP conducted a baseline assessment of the quality of care and compliance with EOC standards at the facility level in a selected area of each country in 1998. The QAP LAMM team developed a set of 21 indicators to measure quality of care and how each system was functioning. Data on the indicators were collected through the review of patient medical records and other facility records, structured observation of deliveries, and a questionnaire completed by healthcare professionals. The assessments indicate that adequate infrastructure to provide EOC exists in all three study areas. However, deficits were documented in the capacity of these facilities to deliver quality EOC services. Inadequate supplies and equipment, lack of trained personnel, and failure to comply with quality standards all limit the functional access to EOC. The assessments also suggest that low utilization of the study facilities is an important barrier to the delivery of EOC in all three countries. [extract from publication summary] [Technical Report Summary 1(3), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) by the Quality Assurance Project (QAP), 2001]
- Childhood sexual abuse among women in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras: Research brief
"This research brief is one in a series of related publications intended to contribute to understanding the complex dimensions of violence against women in three Central American countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. This brief focuses on the prevalence of child sexual abuse among women, the perpetrators of that abuse, and the associations of child sexual abuse with two health outcomes: (1) having a premarital pregnancy and (2) being in a violent relationship later in life." [The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Division of Reproductive Health and the U.S. Agency for International Development, USA, c2005]
- Contraceptive procurement policies, practices, and options: Honduras
In light of the phaseout of donor funds in Latin America and the Caribbean, Honduras will be facing increasing responsibility to finance and procure contraceptive commodities in the near future. The government of Honduras will need to look at regional and international procurement opportunities to ensure contraceptive security is not compromised during this transition period. This report presents findings from a legal and regulatory analysis and pricing study of different procurement options to identify efficient, economical, high quality, and timely distribution of contraceptives. A summary of the current country situation, procurement practices, laws, policies, and regulations is presented along with a comparison of regional contraceptive prices. Options and recommendations are presented for next steps. [publication abstract] [Health Policy Initiative TO1, for the U.S. Agency for International Development, 2006]
- Contracting and Providing Basic Health Care Services in Honduras: A Comparison of Traditional and Alternative Service Delivery Models
This study uses data from health facility and patient exit surveys carried out in 2006 in Honduras to examine the characteristics of two basic health care provision models: a traditional Ministry of Health (MOH) public health care one versus a community based one also known as “alternative” or “public-social”. We compare these models based on access, quality, costs, productivity, and management autonomy. Employing non-parametric tests as well as a probit model, we find that there are significant differences between these two models in terms of quality, management autonomy, and patient’s willingness to return, in favor of the alternative model. While the alternative model has higher unit costs for drugs, it also has higher labor productivity. The fact that alternative providers are held accountable through performance-based contracts and that their personnel are hired on a contractual basis and can be demoted or even fired may account for their stronger performance relative to traditional providers whose personnel are centrally hired civil service staff. Our findings support the alternative model as a viable option to expand services to other areas of Honduras that lack health services, compensating for the MOH’s insufficient capacity to deliver and manage health care services in poor and remote areas. Some elements of this model such as performance-based agreements and other incentives can be also incorporated in the management and implementation of the traditional MOH health units in order to improve their performance. As the alternative models increase in number, it would be important to continue to evaluate their performance and to also analyze whether facility performance differs based on type of management (for example, whether the facility is managed by a municipality or an association of municipalities, a non-government organization, or community based organization). [publication abstract] [Health Nutrition and Population (HNP) Discussion Paper – June 2010 (World Bank's Human Development Network)]
- Determinants of prenatal care and supplement use: The case of Honduras
Context: Literature suggests that prenatal care and prenatal supplement use improves pregnancy outcomes. However, we do not know the factors associated with prenatal care and supplement use in Honduras. Objective: To identify characteristics of Honduran women who are the least and most likely to use prenatal care and supplements. Methods: Data from a 2001 Honduras cross-sectional survey of women was used to assess their use of prenatal care and supplements. All data was weighted, resulting in a sample size of n = 5647 women who had a live birth since January 1996. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine factors associated with prenatal care and supplement use. Results: Current education level was highly positively related to prenatal care and supplement use. Women who were 35 years or older at the time of their most recent birth, currently unmarried, of non-Catholic religious affiliation, and of low SES were significantly less likely to have used prenatal care and supplements. Women who reported the intentionality of their most recent birth as unwanted also were significantly less likely to have used prenatal care and supplements. Prenatal care was the most significant determinant of prenatal supplement use. Conclusion: There are significant differences between Honduran women who use prenatal care and supplements and women who do not. Efforts to increase prenatal health services among underserved women, especially women who are older, unmarried, with no formal education, of low SES, of a non-Catholic religious affiliation, and at risk for an unwanted pregnancy, may significantly improve pregnancy outcomes in Honduras. [author abstract] [MPH thesis, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, August 2004]
- Developing a neurology training program in Honduras: A joint project of neurologists in Honduras and the World Federation of Neurology
One of the major barriers to the provision of quality care for patients with neurological disorders in developing countries is a low ratio of neurologists per inhabitants, the World Health Organization recommends one neurologist per 100,000. In 1998 Honduras had one neurologist per 325,000 inhabitants and all the neurologists were trained outside the country. The Education Committee of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), in collaboration with the Postgraduate Direction of the National Autonomous University of Honduras, the Honduran Neurological Association, and the Honduran Secretary of Health helped establish the country's first Neurology Training Program in 1998. This program was established using a problem- and epidemiological-oriented methodology with oversight by an external WFN review board. By 2006 the program has resulted in a 31% increase in the national neurologist ratio per inhabitant, significantly improved the quality of patient care and promoted research in the neurosciences. The Honduras Neurology Training Program has provided a valuable model for other developing countries with similar needs for neurological care. Based on this Honduras experience, members of the Education Committee of the WFN have established guidelines for neurology training programs in developing countries. [author abstract] [Journal of the Neurological Sciences 253 (2007), 7–17]
- Early Childbearing in Honduras: A Continuing Challenge
"In 2001, 40% of all recent adolescent births [in Honduras] were unplanned, and the highest proportion was among those with the most education (48%). Most sexually active 15–19-year-olds (70%) do not want to have a child in the next two years. Despite these reproductive preferences, just one in three sexually active adolescents uses a modern contraceptive method. Overall, 48% of adolescents have an unmet need for effective contraception. High levels of early childbearing coexist with low rates of professional prenatal and delivery care. In 2001, one-third of recent 15–24-year-old mothers did not make a single prenatal care visit. The same proportion gave birth without a medical professional in attendance. Policies and programs that aim to promote adolescents’ reproductive health and support their childbearing preferences exist, but they are often not fully implemented and need more official commitment and resources." [Guttmacher Institute – In Brief Series, No. 4, September 2006]
- Elimination of the Vectorial Transmission of Chagas Disease in Central American Countries: Honduras
"Chagas disease is a priority problem for public health in Central America, specially in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The infection prevalence estimated for the population of these four countries is of 7% (approximately 2 million people). Chronic cardiopathy is the most frequently observed manifestation. In Honduras 20% of chronic cardiopathies are chagasic and 36% of pacemakers implanted are for chagasic cardiopaths… Isolated efforts directed towards the control of vectorial transmission, took place until the decade of the 70 in various Central American countries, without continuity to achieve success. As a consequence of the national prevalence study, carried out in Honduras during 1984, with the support of the World Health Organization and the Pan-American Health Organization, a motivation process for professionals, workers, and health authorities started. It emphasized on the importance of organizing the actions for vectorial transmission control, and for prevention actions. Part of this process was the 1985 study on serological prevalence in blood donors at endemic and nonendemic area hospitals, which revealed a national index of 11.6% with hospital ranges from 0.5 to 20.2% . This allowed to initiate in Honduras the control of the transfusion transmission, through the serological screening for T. cruzi of the blood donors, obtaining the approval of a law making this control procedure mandatory. The successful experience of the transfusion transmission control done in Honduras has been and is still carried out in other Central American countries with the support of the Pan-American Health Organization." [Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Vol. 94, Suppl. I: 417-418, 1999]
- Expansion of Postpartum / Postabortion Contraception in Honduras
In Honduras, 54 percent of deliveries are assisted by medical staff and 39 percent of deliveries take place at Ministry of Health of Honduras (MOH) health centers or hospitals. Although the unmet need for family planning services is relatively high (11% of women) and family planning helps protect mothers’ and children’s health, hospitals in Honduras rarely offer postpartum/postabortion contraceptive services. Between 1996 and 1999, the Ministry of Health and the Population Council’s INOPAL III Project tested the acceptability of postpartum/postabortion contraception at the Escuela Hospital, the largest in the country. The project showed that more than 30 percent of the women seen for a delivery or a complication due to abortion, were interested in adopting a contraceptive method prior to discharge from the hospital. Given the success of the project, the MOH asked the Population Council’s FRONTIERS Program for technical and financial support to extend those services to five additional hospitals in the country. [extract from publication summary] [Population Council, 15 June, 2001]
- Health in the Americas 2007: Honduras
As a health agency, the Pan American Health Organization’s core discipline is epidemiology, which enables the measurement, definition, and comparison of health problems and conditions and their distribution from the perspectives of population, geography, and time. This publication on Honduras addresses the issue of health as a human right, taking into account both the individual and community contexts, and examines various critical determinants of health, including those of a biological, social, cultural, economic, and political nature. That examination reveals the existence of gaps, disparities, and inequities that persist in Honduras, especially those related to access to basic services, health, nutrition, housing, and adequate living conditions as well as to the lack of opportunities for human development—all of which contribute to the greater vulnerability to diseases and health risks of some population groups. [Adapted from the preface of Health in the Americas 2007]
- Human papillomavirus infection in Honduran women with normal cytology
Objective: This study was aimed at estimating type-specific HPV prevalence and its cofactors among Honduran women with normal cytology in order to provide valuable information to health policymakers about the epidemiology of this important sexually transmitted infection. Methods: A total of 591 women with normal cytology from Tegucigalpa, Honduras were interviewed and tested for HPV using the SPF10 LiPA25. A structured epidemiological questionnaire was administered to each woman. Results: The overall HPV prevalence was 51%. Twenty-three types of HPV were detected; HPV 16, 51, 31, 18, and 11 were the most common. The highest prevalence of cancer associated HPV types (15.0%) was found in the women less than 35 years. Besides the association with age, the main independent predictors of HPV infection were the lifetime number of sexual partners and having a low socioeconomic status and less than 5 previous Pap smears. Conclusions: In the population studied, there was a broad diversity of HPV infections, with high-risk types being the most common types detected. The establishment of a well-characterized population with regard to the community prevalence of type-specific HPV infection will provide a valuable baseline for monitoring population effectiveness of an HPV vaccine. [author abstract] [Cancer Causes and Control, 2009, Volume 20, Number 9, 1663-1670]
- Integration of foreign and local medical staff in a disaster area: the Honduras and El Salvador experiences
International medical aid after natural disasters may take various forms, ranging from self-sufficient military forces to single experts or specialists who function primarily as advisers. A model integrating foreign and local medical staff has not previously been reported. In response to the call for international aid by the Honduran and El Salvadorian governments in the wake of Hurricane Mitch in November 1998 and the San Salvador earthquake in January 2001, Israel sent medical supplies and 10 member teams of medical professionals to each country. The aim of the present paper is to describe the unique Israeli approach to providing healthcare in disaster areas by integrating foreign and local medical staff, and to discuss its advantages and disadvantages. The paper focuses on the experience of the two emergency medicine physicians on the team who were assigned to the Atlantida General Hospital in La Ceiba, Honduras. The same team in San Salvador subsequently applied the same approach. [author abstract] [European Journal of Emergency Medicine 10:124–129 (2003)]
- Malaria control in the municipality of San Esteban, Honduras
Objectives: To assess the burden of malaria in San Esteban, Department of Olancho, Honduras, and provide recommendations for control. Methods: Malaria causes appreciable morbidity in San Esteban. In 2006, health workers reported an increase in malaria cases and requested recommendations for control. In 2005, 385 cases (Plasmodium vivax, 316; P. falciparum, 69) were detected from 4 007 blood smears in the San Esteban laboratory (slide positivity rate = 9.6%). During May–July 2006, we assessed the burden of malaria and made recommendations. We reviewed epidemiologic data from slide-confirmed malaria cases in 2005 and 2006 and conducted a knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey in households to assess malaria diagnostic, treatment, and prevention practices. Results: During May–July 2006, 143 laboratory-confirmed malaria cases were detected (P. vivax, 134; P. falciparum, 9) in San Esteban, compared with 104 (P. vivax, 79; P. falciparum, 25) in May–July 2005. From January 2005 to July 2006, 538 cases were detected in San Esteban, with increased frequency in May–October and the highest incidence in children 0–14 years old. We administered 112 surveys in 19 communities. Seventy percent of respondents reported a history of malaria in a household member, with the highest frequency reported in mothers (45%) and children under 14 years old (37%). Most households did not have mosquito protection such as bed nets, screens, or indoor residual insecticide. Conclusions: Malaria is ongoing in San Esteban, with increased incidence in children. We recommend increased availability and promotion of insecticide-treated bed nets, improved timing and coverage of indoor residual spraying, and improved community malaria practices through education sessions. [author abstract] [Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2009; 25(3): 213–217]
- Medical Mission Exchange
Medical Mission Exchange aims to facilitate referrals of underserved patients to appropriate medical specialists in Central America and the Caribbean. MMEX provides a free, online database of short- and long-term medical missions serving Belize, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras. The information provided includes when and where these groups are working and what medical specialties are represented. Long-term missionaries, health care workers, NGOs, and short-term medical health care providers will be able to determine when and where people with various health problems can be medically evaluated and treated, both at long-term facilities and short-term missions. Patients can be offered a specified date and place to see a specialist. The goal of the MMEX Web site is to enable referrals to be made to short-term mission groups prior to their arrival, thereby better utilising the physicians and other health care providers who are volunteering their services.
- Molecular diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with tuberculosis in Honduras
Background: Tuberculosis persists as a public health problem in Honduras. A better knowledge of the molecular characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains will contribute to understand the transmission dynamics of the disease within the country. The aim of this study was to provide an insight of the genetic biodiversity of M. tuberculosis clinical isolates collected in Honduras between 1994 and 2002. Genotyping was performed using spoligotyping and RFLP. The spoligotypes obtained were compared with the SITVIT2 proprietary database of the Pasteur Institute of Guadeloupe. Results: Spoligotyping grouped 84% of the isolates into 27 clusters (2 to 43 strains per cluster). Of the 44 shared international types (SITs) identified among the Honduran stains, 8 SITs were newly identified either within the present study or after match with an orphan type previously identified in the SITVIT2 database. In addition, 16 patterns corresponded to orphan, previously unreported isolates. The Latin American Mediterranean (LAM) lineage was the most common in this study; 55% of the strains belonged to this family. Other genotypes found were Haarlem (16%), T (16%), X-clade (6%), Unknown signature (5%) and S (1%). Only one Beijing strain was identified (0.5%). We observed a high degree of diversity after characterizing the 43 isolates belonging to the main spoligotyping cluster (SIT 33, LAM3) with IS6110-RFLP. A total of 35 different RFLP-fingerprints were detected, of which 6 patterns corresponded to the same number of clusters comprising 14 strains. Conclusions: The findings obtained in this study show that tuberculosis transmission in Honduras is due to modern M. tuberculosis lineages with high level of biodiversity. [author abstract] [BMC Microbiology 2010, 10: 208]
- Postpartum women in the Honduran health system: folic acid knowledge, attitudes, and practices
Objectives: This study had two purposes: first, to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to folic acid and birth defects among a convenience sample of postpartum Honduran women; and second, to identify food consumption patterns in this population and determine high-consumption staples for potential folic acid fortification. Methods: Convenience sampling methodology was used to recruit potential study participants. Participants for this study were 2 619 postpartum Honduran women who had had a normal, in-hospital delivery in one of 16 public hospitals located throughout the country or the two social security hospitals that provide services to the Honduran working class population. Over a 10-month period, in-depth, face-to-face oral interviews, supervised by the research coordinator and staff, were conducted in-hospital prior to discharge. Results: The majority of the women were between 16 and 29 years of age. Approximately half of the respondents (46.4%) had heard of folic acid and over one-third (37.6%) knew that it was a vitamin related to preventing birth defects. Birth defects were most often attributed to drug and alcohol use (20.6%) and lack of vitamin intake (18.1%), but 23.0% related defects to mystical, mythical, or religious causes. Aside from red beans, oranges, and natural fruit juices, folate-rich foods are not widely consumed by this population. The highest consumption frequency of staple foods with the potential to be fortified with folic acid were rice, white flour, corn flour, and pasta. Conclusions: Results from this study provide potential avenues for food fortification, as well as underscore the need for further education about the role of folic acid in the prevention of neural tube defects. Results highlight that standardized health education for Honduran women of reproductive age is needed if folic acid consumption through fortification and supplementation is to be successful and sustainable. [author abstract] [Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2007; 22(5): 340–347]
- Primary Health Care for Remote Village Communities in Honduras: A Model for Training and Support of Community Health Workers
Background and Objectives: We present a model for the development of sustainable primary health care in village communities in Honduras through the training and support of community health workers. The model follows a “bottom-up” approach using community-centered data generation, problem-specific curriculum development, and ongoing knowledge maintenance and support for community-based care givers. Health worker training, evaluation, and support are provided by US-based primary care professionals. Methods: The intervention is designed in five stages: (1) background needs assessment based on patient chart reviews to identify prevalent health problems, (2) selection of target communities, (3) obtaining community involvement and prospective health worker commitment, (4) development and implementation of a needs-specific curriculum for health worker training and community health education, and (5) maintenance, evaluation, and expansion of training and support for community health workers. Results: Chart review of 725 children identified respiratory tract disease, gastrointestinal infections, and skin infections as predominant health problems. A curriculum for health workers was designed to address these and was implemented in a 1-week training program in two target communities. After 15 months of practice, health workers had attended 2,347 patients. Three monthly review and refresher sessions improved case management accuracy significantly. Conclusions: The establishment of sustainable primary health care in remote, underserved communities using community health workers is possible and feasible, even in countries that do not have a national health worker network. Primary care professionals can play an instrumental role in project design, management, and supervision. [author abstract] [Family Medicine, 2009; 41(9): 646-651]
- Psychological and psychopathological reactions in Honduras following Hurricane Mitch: implications for service planning
Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychopathological outcomes have not been sufficiently studied in community-based samples in Latin America. This study explored various psychopathological reactions and their respective risk factors two months after Hurricane Mitch struck Honduras in October 1998. Methods: In the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, 800 respondents age 15 and older were selected from residential areas of high, middle, or low socioeconomic status that had suffered either high or low impact from the devastating effects of the hurricane. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to diagnose PTSD. Depression, alcohol misuse, and grief reaction were examined using screening instruments, and the Self–Reporting Questionnaire was used to measure demoralization. The Impact of Event Scale was administered to ascertain the severity of the posttraumatic reaction. Results: PTSD was present in 10.6% of the sample. Respondents from the high-impact residential areas were more distressed, had higher scores on the grief inventory, and showed greater severity in PTSD symptoms. The respondents from the high-impact residential areas also had higher prevalence rates of major depression, alcoholism, and prior emotional problems. The best explanatory model for the risk of developing PTSD included the degree of exposure based on reported traumatic events, and associated increased demoralization. Among the persons with PTSD, its severity was predicted by being female and by the degree of exposure to hurricane-related traumatic events. Conclusions: Out of a total population of 3.3 million adults (age 15 and older) in Honduras, it is estimated that over 492 000 of them may have developed PTSD due to Hurricane Mitch. Adequate health disaster preparedness and response requires full acknowledgement of the multiple psychological effects that victims experience. [author abstract] [Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2005; 18(4/5): 287–295]
- Republica de Honduras C.A. – Informe Nacional sobre los Progresos Realizados en la Aplicación del UNGASS
Honduras es el segundo país más afectado de Centroamérica por la epidemia de VIH y Sida. El primer caso en Honduras se detectó en 1985. A partir de esa fecha hasta diciembre del 2007 se han reportado un total de 24,608, de los cuales 18,583 (76%) fueron clasificados como sida y 6,025 (24%) como portadores asintomáticos. El patrón de la epidemia es predominantemente heterosexual; con una razón hombre: mujer para nuevos casos de Sida para el 2005 de 1.1 (sólo Belice tiene una razón hombre: mujer inferior, 0.7).
- Social franchising of sexual and reproductive health services in Honduras and Nicaragua
This document outlines the outcome of three franchising projects implemented by Partners of Marie Stopes International (MSI) in Honduras and Nicaragua. The projects were designed to pilot full and partial social franchising models as part of an initiative to test and develop alternative forms of delivering quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services by a non government organisation (NGO). This report: (i) assesses the suitability of the models used for the provision of sustainable SRH services to the target populations in the project areas; (ii) presents the major costs, benefits and risks to the franchisee, the franchisor and the donor agencies; [and] (iii) addresses the ways in which the viable elements of these social franchising models could be replicated successfully. [publication summary] [Marie Stopes International, 2006]
- Undernutrition among Honduran children 12–71 months old
In 1996, the Ministry of Health of Honduras conducted a national micronutrient survey that included anthropometric measurements to determine the nutrition status of children 12–71 months old. Among the 1 744 children who participated, 38% of them were stunted, including 14% who were severely stunted; 24% were underweight, of which 4% were severely underweight; and 1% were wasted, of which 0.1% were severely wasted. The country can be divided into three groupings based on the level of stunting and underweight: 1) lowest prevalence: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, and medium cities; 2) medium prevalence: other urban areas, the rural north, and the rural south; and 3) highest prevalence: the rural west. Using logistic regression analysis, the important determinants of stunting were found to be: mother/caretaker’s and father’s schooling, source of water, the dominion (geographic location and strata) in which the child lived, and the “possession score” for ownership of such items as a radio, television, refrigerator, stereo system, and electric iron. The predictors for underweight were micronutrient status, diarrhea, maternal/caretaker’s schooling, type of toilet, and possession score. Historical data indicate that the national prevalence of chronic undernutrition has changed little over the last 10 years despite the number of national food and nutrition plans implemented and the significant improvements in health services. It is possible that these positive interventions have been offset by the slow progress in economic development. Future nutrition interventions should take into account household-level perceived needs and priorities in order to set realistic nutrition targets. [author abstract] [Rev Panam Salud Publica/Pan Am J Public Health 6(4), 1999, pp.256-265]
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