Maternal health and child survival in relation to socioeconomic factors.
The health of 280 rural Somali women of reproductive age was studied using a structured questionnaire, measuring weight, height, arm circumference and estimations of hemoglobin. Mean height and weight were 159 cm and 53 kg, respectively. 12.7% had a weight below 50 kg and 5.6% had a height below 150 cm. One third of the women had a body mass index of 19 indicating sub/malnutrition. Mean hemoglobin was 105 g/l. Every fourth woman had a hemoglobin level between 85 and 100, while every tenth had a value below 70 g/l. A higher hemoglobin level and better child survival rate were associated with the husband's reading ability, whether the household owned a farm, whether the woman had a second job, whether the woman possessed gold and the household's possession of a radio.
Department of Community Health, Somali National University, Mogadishu.
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Omar
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Högberg
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Bergström
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D008297:Male; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012998:Somalia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate