Health status of siblings of hospitalized children.
OBJECTIVE
To study health status of siblings of children hospitalized for various diseases.


METHODS
A total of 308 siblings of 200 hospitalized children were studied by detailed history, anthropometry, physical examination and relevant laboratory tests.


RESULTS
Only 43.83% siblings were fully immunized, 25.32% partially and 30.85% were totally unimmunized. Normal nutritional status was seen in 20.43% siblings; 26.95% had grade 1, 25.64% grade II, 24.02% grade III and 2.92% had grade IV malnutrition. Various morbid conditions were observed in siblings, the common ones were vit. A deficiency (22.40%), worm infestation (21.42%), anemia (19.15%), dental caries (13.63%), ARI (13.31%), diarrhoea (12.01%), malaria (7.46%) and scabies (7.14%).


CONCLUSIONS
The siblings of hospitalized children are in a high-risk group as they share same environment and nutrition. They have various ailments in various stages of severity. The health screening of such children will have a positive impact in promoting health and diagnosing diseases at an early stage.
Bhat
N
N
Department of Pediatrics, GR Medical College and Kamla Raja Hospital, Gwalior, India.
Rawat
A K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D035781:Siblings; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors