Risk factors for nightblindness among women of childbearing age in Cambodia.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize risk factors for nightblindness among nonpregnant women of childbearing age, a group recently recognized to be at high risk of vitamin A deficiency in some developing countries.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
The study included >15 000 households in National Micronutrient Survey of Cambodia conducted in 2000.


METHODS
The prevalence of nightblindness among 13 358 nonpregnant women was 2.0%. A total of 328 nonpregnant women with nightblindness were matched by province with 1009 nonpregnant women without nightblindness.


METHODS
Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) as estimates of the relative risk of factors associated with nightblindness.


RESULTS
In a final model, materials in the wall of the house (OR 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-2.0), land ownership < or =0.5 hectares (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.9), nightblindness in last pregnancy (OR 44.5, 95% CI 29.2-67.8), parity >3 (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.1), diarrhea within the last 2 weeks (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.8), maternal body mass index <18.5 (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7), and lack of consumption of vitamin A-rich animal foods in the last 24 h (1-60 retinol equivalents (RE) OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.7-1.6; > or =60 RE, OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.4-1.0) were associated with nightblindness among nonpregnant women.


CONCLUSIONS
Women of childbearing age in Cambodia with low socioeconomic status, low consumption of vitamin A-rich animal foods, a history of nightblindness during the previous pregnancy, parity >3, malnutrition, and diarrhea have a higher risk of nightblindness.


BACKGROUND
United States Agency for International Development (442-G-00-95-00515-00).
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Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 North Broadway, Suite 700, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. rdsemba@jhmi.edu
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*