title: Disability due to maternal common mental disorders (CMDs) as a risk factor for chronic childhood malnutrition: cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The disability associated with maternal common mental disorders (CMDs) is among the possible explanations for the association between chronic childhood malnutrition and CMDs. CMDs may impair the mother's ability to perform her role, particularly in deprived environments. The present study aimed to evaluate whether disability relating to CMDs could be part of the pathway of the association between childhood malnutrition and maternal CMDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study conducted in two institutions: one for malnourished children and another for eutrophic children living in a low-income community in the state of Alagoas, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cases consisted of 55 malnourished children aged from 12 to 60 months who were attending a nutritional rehabilitation center, with height-for-age z-scores < 2. The controls were 70 eutrophic children of the same age who were attending a day care center in the same area as the cases. The Self-Report Questionnaire made it possible to identify likely cases of maternal CMD. The Sheehan Disability Scale enabled evaluation of the associated disability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chronic childhood malnutrition was significantly associated with maternal disability relating to CMDs (OR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.02-5.1). The best logistic regression model using chronic childhood malnutrition as the dependent variable included the following independent variables: higher number of people living in the household; absence of the biological father from the household; and maternal disability relating to CMDs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If confirmed, the association between chronic childhood malnutrition and maternal disability relating to CMDs may be useful in helping to identify the causal chain between childhood malnutrition and maternal CMDs and to indicate environmental risk factors associated with chronic childhood malnutrition.
authors.affiliation: MSc. Assistant Professor, Universidade do Estado da Bahia (UNEB), Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge Lopes
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cavalcante-Neto
authors.affiliation: PhD. Adjunct Professor, Postgraduate Program on Developmental Disorders, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiane Silvestre de
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.affiliation: PhD. Associate Professor II, School of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UFAL), Maceió, AL, Brazil.
authors.forename: Telma Maria de Menezes Toledo
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Florêncio
authors.affiliation: MD, PhD. Associate Professor I, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UFAL), Maceió, AL, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudio Torres de
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Miranda
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009752:Nutritional Status