Thesis (M.Sc. (Statistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / The health and survival of children are important measures of the social wellbeing and health status of the community. The World Community made a commitment to reduce under-five mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that have influence on child survival. The Dikgale Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) data for children born between 01 January 1996 and 31 December 2010 were analysed using cross-tabulation, logistic regression and survival analysis to determine factors that have influence on child survival. The findings revealed that mother’s survival status and child birth weight are significantly associated with child survival. The results showed that the odds that children born to mothers who are alive survive beyond five years are almost four times the odds that children born to mothers who are not alive survive beyond five years. The study also found that the odds that children born with birth weight 2.5kg or more survive beyond five years are almost two times that of children born with birth weight less than 2.5kg. The results of this study may help in formulating strategies and interventions that improve the lifespan of children and assist in the reduction of child mortality. KEY CONCEPTS Child survival, Health Demographic Surveillance System, Cross-tabulation, Logistic regression, Survival analysis, Mother’s survival status, Birth weight.

After the 1994 genocide and collapse of the health system, Rwanda initiated major social and health reforms in order to reduce child mortality and health inequities in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals. The aim of this thesis was to assess trends in under-five mortality (U5M) and equity in child survival, to study social barriers for improved perinatal and neonatal survival, and to evaluate Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), a newborn resuscitation program. In paper I we analysed trends and social inequities in child mortality 1990−2010, using data from national Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2000, 2005, and 2010. The following papers were based on hospital studies in the capital of Rwanda. In paper II we explored social inequities in perinatal mortality. Using a perinatal audit approach, paper III assessed factors related to the three delays, which preceded perinatal deaths, and estimates were made of potentially avoidable deaths. Paper IV evaluated knowledge and skills gained and retained by health workers after training in HBB. Under-five mortality declined from the peak of 238 deaths per 1000 live births (95% CI 226 to 251) in 1994 to 65 deaths per 1000 live births (95% CI 61 to 70) in 2010 and concurred with decreased social gaps in child and neonatal survival between rural and urban areas and household wealth groups. Children born to women with no education still had significantly higher under-five mortality. Neonatal mortality also decreased but at a slower rate as compared to infant and U5M. Maternal rural residence or having no health insurance were linked to increased risk of perinatal death. Neither maternal education nor household wealth was associated with perinatal mortality risks. Lack of recognition of pregnancy danger signs and intrapartum-related suboptimal care were major contributors to perinatal deaths, whereof one half was estimated to be potentially avoidable. Knowledge significantly improved after training in HBB. This knowledge was sustained for at least 3 months following training whereas practical skills had declined. These results highlight the need for strengthening coverage of lifesaving interventions giving priority to underserved groups for improved child survival at community as well as at hospital levels.

Submitted by Caroline Wey Perez (carolweyperez@gmail.com) on 2016-04-20T17:57:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Análise de ação educativa - Caroline Wey Perez 2016.pdf: 1091386 bytes, checksum: 730dabcb1d7034b8d853cc133f23833f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Felipe Augusto Arakaki (arakaki@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-04-26T18:19:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 perez_cw_me_bot.pdf: 1091386 bytes, checksum: 730dabcb1d7034b8d853cc133f23833f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:19:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 perez_cw_me_bot.pdf: 1091386 bytes, checksum: 730dabcb1d7034b8d853cc133f23833f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Este estudo objetivou analisar uma ação educativa sobre redução do óbito infantil no município de São Luís, estado do Maranhão, Brasil, na perspectiva de seus participantes. Essa ação educativa foi realizada em 2014, sob a modalidade de ensino presencial e à distância e compõe um amplo projeto de educação permanente em saúde, intitulado “Vigilância em saúde materno-infantil: ação educativa para redução do óbito infantil, a partir da realidade epidemiológica de estados selecionados”. Este projeto foi elaborado e executado em parceria de docentes do Departamento de Enfermagem da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu da Universidade Estadual Paulista e de responsáveis pela Área Técnica de Vigilância em Saúde do Ministério da Saúde e da Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de São Luís.Por meio da abordagem qualitativa de pesquisa, no primeiro semestre de 2015, foram entrevistados 17 participantes da referida ação, advindos de diferentes pontos da rede de atenção e vigilância em saúde materno-infantil do município em foco. Os dados foram sistematizados segundo o Método de Análise de Conteúdo, numa vertente temática e foram analisados com base em princípios da educação permanente em saúde e na produção científica e técnica atual sobre vigilância em saúde materno-infantil e do óbito infantil. O projeto desta pesquisa obteve parecer favorável do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu – UNESP. Os depoimentos obtidos foram sistematizados em três grandes temas: 1. Vigilância do óbito infantil como processo para qualificar a atenção à saúde materno-infantil; 2. A ação educativa como estratégia facilitadora da aprendizagem sobre a vigilância do óbito infantil; 3. Implicações da experiência quanto ao desenvolvimento profissional e para os serviços de saúde. Os núcleos de sentido destes temas revelaram concepções ampliadas, porém experiências restritas quanto à realização da vigilância em saúde materno-infantil. Para as participantes, a ação educativa contribuiu para a aprendizagem significativa do conteúdo abordado, ao empregar métodos ativos, inovadores e considerando a realidade profissional dos mesmos. Houve destaque para a complementação do conhecimento teórico e prático sobre o tema e, também, quanto à proposição, implementação e resultados de operações apropriadas para solução de problemas relativos à atenção à saúde materno-infantil e à vigilância do óbito infantil. Considerando os achados deste estudo e em acordo com as participantes do mesmo, recomenda-se a continuidade do processo educativo em nível local, ampliando a participação para outros profissionais da atenção e gestão em saúde. / ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze an educational action on reducing child death in the city of São Luís, in the State of Maranhão, Brazil, from the perspective of its participants. This activity was carried out in 2014, in the form of classroom and distance learning education and makes up a large permanent health education project, entitled "Surveillance of maternal and child health: educational action to reduce infant mortality, from the epidemiological reality of selected states." This project was prepared and implemented in a teacher partnership of the Department of Nursing, Botucatu Medical School, Universidade Estadual Paulista and by responsible parties in the Surveillance Technical Area of the Ministry of Health and the State Department of Health of São Luís. Through the qualitative approach, in the first half of 2015, 17 participants of that action were interviewed, coming from different points in the network of attention and vigilance in maternal and child health of the municipality in question. The data were organized in accordance with the Content Analysis Method, in a thematic strand and analyzed based on principles of continuing education in health and scientific production through current technical surveillance on maternal and child health and infant mortality. The research project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Botucatu School of Medicine - UNESP. The statements obtained were organized in three main areas: 1. Surveillance of infant death as a process to qualify attention to maternal and child health; 2. The educational activity as a facilitator of learning strategy on surveillance of infant death; 3. Implications of experience on professional development and health services. The core meanings of these themes revealed enlarged conceptions, but limited experience regarding the realization of monitoring in maternal and child health. For participants, the educational activity contributed to the significant learning of the content addressed by employing innovative and active methods, and considering the professional reality of the content. There was emphasis on the complementation of theoretical and practical knowledge on the subject and also on the proposition, implementation and results of operations appropriate to solving problems of attention to maternal and child health and monitoring of infant death. Considering these findings and in accordance with the participants of this study, it is recommended to continue the educational process at the local level, expanding participation to other professional care and health management.

Introducción: La neumonía es la principal causa de muerte en niños menores de 5 años a nivel global y el 90% de sus casos se registran en países en vías de desarrollo. Determinar los factores asociados (FA) a casos severos (CS) y casos fatales (CF) de neumonía adquirida en la comunidad (NAC) en niños menores de cinco años atendidos en el INSN entre los años 2013-2015 en lima Perú. Materiales y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, retrospectivo, analítico de casos y controles en pacientes atendidos en el INSN entre los años 2013 al 2015; el estudio se dividió en 2 sub-estudios, para determinar los factores asociados a casos fatales tenemos el denominado sub-estudio “A” y el denominado sub-estudio “B” para determinar los factores asociados a casos severos. Resultados: Los factores asociados a casos fatales en niños entre 1 a 59 meses con NAC atendidos en el INSN fueron: Tener una edad entre 1 a 5 meses (ORa=3.61, IC: 1.1-11.76), desnutrición aguda (ORa=3.74, IC: 1.1-12.63), tener consolidado multilobar (ORa=3.1, IC: 1.006-9.5) y tener consolidado en parche (ORa=0.17, IC: 0.057-0.5). Los factores asociados a casos severos fueron: Tener una edad entre 1 a 5 meses (ORa=0.28, IC: 0.18-0.55), ser pretérmino (ORa= 0.36, IC: 0.17-0.77), tener diarrea (ORa=0.36, IC: 0.15-0.87), que el cuidador tenga como grado de instrucción la secundaria (ORa= 2.43, IC: 1.36-4.35), negarse a comer (ORa= 3.84, IC: 1.14-12.84) y tener asma (ORa=10.66, IC: 1.11-102.3). Conclusiones: Los factores asociados a mortalidad identificados son: edad entre 1 a 5 meses, tener desnutrición aguda, tener consolidado multilobar. Los factores de riesgo para severidad son: grado de instrucción del cuidador secundaria, negarse a comer y tener asma. / Introduction: Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age globally and 90% of its cases are registered in developing countries. To determine the factors associated (AF) to severe cases (SC) and fatal cases (CF) of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children under five years of age treated at the INSN between the years 2013-2015 in Lima, Peru. Materials and Methods: An observational, retrospective, analytical case-control study was carried out in patients treated at the INSN between 2013 and 2015; The study was divided into 2 sub-studies, to determine the factors associated with fatal cases we have the so-called “A” sub-study and the so-called “B” sub-study to determine the factors associated with severe cases. Results: The factors associated with fatal cases in children between 1 to 59 months with CAP treated at the INSN were: Being between 1 to 5 months old (ORa = 3.61, CI: 1.1-11.76), acute malnutrition (ORa = 3.74, CI: 1.1-12.63), have multilobar consolidated (ORa = 3.1, CI: 1.006-9.5) and have consolidated in patch (ORa = 0.17, CI: 0.057-0.5). The factors associated with severe cases were: Being between 1 and 5 months old (ORa = 0.28, CI: 0.18-0.55), being preterm (ORa = 0.36, CI: 0.17-0.77), having diarrhea (ORa = 0.36, CI : 0.15-0.87), that the caregiver has a secondary education grade (ORa = 2.43, IC: 1.36-4.35), refuse to eat (ORa = 3.84, IC: 1.14-12.84) and have asthma (ORa = 10.66, IC: 1.11-102.3). Conclusions: The factors associated with mortality identified are: age between 1 to 5 months, having acute malnutrition, having consolidated multilobar. Risk factors for severity are: secondary caregiver education level, refusal to eat, and asthma. / Tesis

La consanguinité, soit l'union productive de conjoints partageant des allèles identiques provenant d'un ancêtre commun, s'est accumulée au fil du temps au Québec ancien. Parallèlement, le Québec a été victime de plusieurs épidémies. Le but de cette étude est d'évaluer la relation entre la mortalité des enfants et la consanguinité dans les périodes épidémiques du Québec ancien entre 1720 et 1830. D'une part, l'hypothèse émise est que les enfants ayant des gènes homologues sur plusieurs loci auraient un taux de mortalité significativement plus élevé comparativement aux enfants non consanguins, en raison du désavantage des homozygotes. D'autre part, les individus consanguins peuvent avoir une survie plus favorable en raison de l'effet d’enracinement, combien de générations une famille est établie dans la colonie, présent dans la mesure de la consanguinité. De plus, l'avantage social d'une famille étroitement liée peut favoriser la survie de l'enfant en accordant plus de soutien social aux parents et de surveillance de l'enfant. Les courbes de survie de Kaplan-Meier sont représentées graphiquement et des modèles de régression de Cox sont exécutés pour explorer et démêler partiellement les rôles des facteurs génétiques et environnementaux. Les immigrants, les naissances multiples et les individus sans généalogie du Registre de la population du Québec ancien (RPQA) et de l'Infrastructure intégrée des microdonnées historiques de la Population du Québec (IMPQ) sont exclus. Au total, 610 412 individus sont analysés dans les modèles de Cox. Les rapports de risque pour les épidémies augmentent avec l'âge et les rapports de risque pour la consanguinité éloignée ressemblent souvent au groupe référence, les non consanguins. De plus, les effets diffèrent selon le sexe et le groupe d'âge. Généralement, si les enfants avec une consanguinité proche, ceux identifiés comme consanguins avec seulement trois générations ascendantes, ne subissent pas de surmortalité dans un groupe d'âge précédent, les modèles de Cox signalent une survie défavorable de ces individus lors des épidémies. Des effets sous-jacents tels que des processus de sélection et des variables de contrôle relatives à l’enracinement peu robustes guident les résultats de l'interaction entre les épidémies et la consanguinité, de sorte que la prémisse reste à valider. / Consanguinity, the productive union of spouses sharing identical alleles from a common ancestor, accumulated over time in Colonial Quebec. Concurrently, Quebec was the victim of several epidemics. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between child mortality and consanguinity in epidemic periods of Colonial Quebec between 1720 and 1830. On the one hand, it is hypothesized that children with homologous genes on many loci would have a significantly higher mortality rate compared to non consanguineous children, due to homozygote disadvantage. On the other hand, consanguineous individuals may have a more favourable survival because of the effect of settlement, how many generations a family has been in the colony, present in the measure of consanguinity. Further, the social benefit of a closely bound family may favour child survival by providing more social support to the parents and child supervision. Kaplan-Meier survival curves are graphed, and Cox regression models are run to explore and partially disentangle the roles of genetic and environmental factors. Immigrants, multiple births and individuals lacking a genealogy from the Registre de population du Québec ancien (RPQA) and Infrastructure intégrée des microdonnées historiques de la Population du Québec (IMPQ) are excluded. Altogether, 610,412 individuals are analysed in the Cox models. Hazard ratios for epidemics increase with age and distant consanguinity hazard ratios often resemble the no consanguinity reference group. Further, the effects differ by sex and age group. Generally, if closely consanguineous children, those identified as consanguineous with only three ascending generations, do not undergo excess mortality in a previous age group, the Cox models signal an unfavourable survival of these individuals during epidemics. Underlying effects such as selection processes and unrobust control variables for settlement guide the results of the interaction between epidemics and consanguinity, so the premise, though convincing, remains to be validated.

This thesis investigates if there is any age segmentation among child burials. This is done through a spatial analysis, to better understand children in a mortuary space. The two cemeteries that will be investigated are the Wall of the Crow in Late Period Giza and the so-called Upper Necropolis in Saqqara during the Ptolemaic Period. The study includes 83 child burials from Saqqara and 73 child burials from Giza, of newborns to children of 14 years of age. This is achieved by deconstructing the data available to clarify the bond that exists and/or does not exist between the burials. In addition, child mortality and burial customs will be discussed to better understand burial rates in comparison to mortality rates. Finally, to understand properly the cemetery space, and children as a sub-set in it, the wider constructed landscapes are considered. The outcome of this thesis was that no cemetery had any age segmentation. / Den här uppsatsen utforskar om det finns någon ålderssegmentering bland barngravar. Detta utförs genom en rumslig analys för att bättre förstå barn i begravningsutrymmet. De två begravningsplatserna som undersöks är Wall of the Crow under Sentiden i Giza och den så kallade Övre Nekropolen i Saqqara, daterad till Ptolemeiska Riket. Studien inkluderar 83 barngravar från Saqqara och 73 barngravar från Giza, från nyfödda till 14 års ålder. Detta uppnås av att rekonstruera den tillgängliga data för att klargöra bandet som finns/inte finns mellan gravarna. Dessutom kommer barnadödlighet och begravningsseder diskuteras för att bättre förstå gravarna i jämförelse med dödlighet. Slutligen, för att förstå begravningsutrymmet bättre och barnen som en del av det, kommer de bredare konstruerade landskapen beaktas. Resultatet av uppsatsen var att ingen av begravningsplatserna hade någon ålderssegmentering.

The impact of environmental degradation on well-being is largely ignored in terms of economic costs of development. Due in large part to measurement difficulties, the environment in the daily welfare of the world's poorest remains inadequately accounted for in development policies. The aim of this work is, therefore, to advance our understanding of the relationship between the environment and human health. Anthropogenic activities in Central Asia have severely disrupted the natural environment. The poorest, most vulnerable members of society are at an increased risk of mortality and a life-time of illness associated with worsening ecological conditions in the region. The work is by nature inter-disciplinary and pulls from many social sciences in an attempt to provide new insight into the role of long term environmental degradation and the impact on social welfare. There are three main original contributions of this work. Firstly, the research demonstrates the traditional emphasis in the literature on socioeconomic factors in explaining high rates of child mortality in Central Asia is inadequate. Secondly, for the first time in an international cross-section examining the determinants of child survival, the macro-level environment is put forth as a key determinant of excess child mortality in Central Asia. An improved measure of income is used for the first time in such a study to control for important distributional effects within and between countries. The results confirm the hypothesis that traditional determinants do not account for endemically high rates of mortality in the region. Secondly, using administrative (oblast) data from Uzbekistan, Chapter 6 presents the first study of its kind to incorporate important geographic as well as socioeconomic information in explaining variation in infant mortality due likely to ecological degradation. Ultimately, the findings demonstrate the environment must be adequately considered in all policy making aimed at improving health outcomes in the region.

Le Gabon affiche, paradoxalement à son niveau de PIB par tête élevé, des indicateurs de santépauvres. Fondée sur les données de l’enquête démographique et de santé du Gabon de 2000, laprésente étude a pour objectif d’examiner la relation entre la pauvreté et la santé. Premièrement,l’étude montre que le niveau de mortalité des enfants est préoccupant, et que la pauvreté nonmonétaire en termes d’actifs est associée à cette mortalité. Deuxièmement, les niveaux de retard decroissance et d’insuffisance pondérale des enfants posent problème. A cet égard, on observe que leretard de croissance représente le premier problème nutritionnel. D’ailleurs, les analyses révèlentl’existence d’une relation claire entre la pauvreté non monétaire et le retard de croissance. Par contre,l’impact de la pauvreté non monétaire sur l’insuffisance pondérale dépend du modèle économétriqueutilisé. Troisièmement, le test de Chow pour la mortalité et la malnutrition n’est pas significatif,montrant qu’une analyse économétrique de la relation entre la pauvreté et la santé selon de genre n’estpas justifiée. En d’autres termes, les ménages dirigés par une femme et ceux dirigés par un homme nese comportent pas différemment en matière de soins de santé. Quatrièmement, l’analyse de l’inégalitésocio-économique de la mortalité et celle de la malnutrition suggère quelques commentaires. Toutd’abord, cette inégalité est très forte. Ensuite, alors que l’inégalité de la mortalité est plus élevée enmilieu rural, l’inégalité de la malnutrition est plus prononcée en milieu urbain. Enfin, les disparités deniveau de vie ont un rôle secondaire quant à l’explication du niveau de cette inégalité. / Gabon displays, paradoxically to his high level of GDP per capita, poor health indicators. Based on thedata of the Demographic and Health Survey of Gabon of 2000, the present study had as objective toexamine the relation between poverty and health. Firstly, the study shows that the level of childmortality is worrying, and that the non-monetary poverty in terms of assets is associated with thismortality. Secondly, the levels of child stunting and underweight are problems. In this respect, oneobserves that stunting represents the first nutritional problem. Moreover, the analyses reveal theexistence of a net relationship between non monetary poverty and malnutrition in terms of stunting.On the other hand; the impact of non monetary poverty on the malnutrition in terms of underweightdepends on the econometric model used. Thirdly, the chow test for mortality and malnutrition are notsignificant, showing that an econometric analysis of the relation between poverty and health by genderis not justified. In other words, households headed by a woman and those headed by a man not behavedifferently as regards health care. Fourthly, the study of the socioeconomic inequality of mortality andthose of malnutrition suggests some comments. First of all, this inequality is very strong. Then, whilethe inequality in mortality is stronger in rural area, the inequality in malnutrition is more pronouncedin cities. Lastly, the welfare disparities of the households have a secondary role as for the explanationof the level of this inequality.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

La réduction de la mortalité maternelle et infantile est universellement acceptée comme un objectif du millénaire pour le développement. L'aide étrangère est un des moyens utilisés pour l'atteindre. Cependant, malgré les succès, à l'échelle microéconomique, de certains programmes de santé financés par les aides étrangères, l'efficacité globale de ces aides demeure inconnue. Plusieurs travaux ont traité de l'efficacité de l'aides sur la croissance économique, mais peu d'entre eux concernent le secteur de la santé. Le but de cette thèse, est précisément d'évaluer l'efficacité des aides étrangères sur des indicateurs de santé à l'échelle macroéconomique. On va essayer d'explorer l'impact des aides étrangères octroyées par des bailleurs privés et publics sur l'état de santé telle que la mortalité infantile, maternelle et des adultes dans les pays en développement. La thèse examine l'affectation des aides étrangères au secteur de la santé, à travers trois documents de travail à soumettre à publication. / The reduction of child and maternal mortality is universally accepted as a millennium development goal (MDG). Foreign aid for health is one of the means implemented to reach it. However, even if many successes of health aid activities have been underlined at the microeconomic level, the effectiveness of health aid in general remains unknown. In spite of many macroeconomic works on aid effectiveness on economic growth, only little deals with its effectiveness in health. The purpose of this thesis is precisely to assess the effectiveness of foreign aid in improving health measurements, at the macroeconomic level. I tried to explore the impact of health aid disbursed by the donors through the government and private sector on health outcomes like child, maternal and adult mortality rates in developing economies. The thesis examines the issue of foreign aid earmarked for health sector using a three-paper format. The three chapters of this thesis can be read independently.