Work

Impact of Universal Health Coverage on Child Growth and Nutrition in Argentina

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To estimate trends of undernutrition (stunting and underweight) among children younger than 5 years covered by the universal health coverage programs Plan Nacer and Programa Sumar. METHODS: From 2005 to 2013, Plan Nacer and Programa Sumar collected high-quality information on birth and visit dates, age (in days), gender, weight (in kg), and height (in cm) for 1.4 million children in 6386 health centers (13 million records) with broad coverage of vulnerable populations in Argentina. RESULTS: The prevalence of stunting and underweight decreased 45.0% (from 20.6% to 11.3%) and 38.0% (from 4.0% to 2.5%), respectively, with differences between rural versus urban areas, gender, regions, age, and seasons. CONCLUSIONS: Undernutrition prevalence substantially decreased in 2 programs in Argentina as a result of universal health coverage.

Source: American Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2016.303056

Authors: Pablo A. Nuñez, Diego Fernández-Slezak, Andrés Farall, María Eugenia Szretter, Oscar Daniel Salomón, Claudia R. Valeggia

Institutions: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Yale University

Language: English

Topic: Child Nutrition and Water Access

Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics

Field: Nursing

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas