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Factors Associated with Low Birth Weight of Children Among Employed Mothers in Pakistan.
- Source :
- Maternal & Child Health Journal; Sep2015, Vol. 19 Issue 9, p1993-2002, 10p, 3 Charts
- Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Evidence shows that Pakistan has an increasing rate of children with low birth weight (LBW). Employed mothers in paid work (EMPW) in the country have predominantly been disadvantaged in terms of access to education and low-income employment; with negative consequences on maternal and child health. The objective of this study was to determine socio-demographic characteristics of EMPW and identify the association between maternal employment and child birth weight in Pakistan. Secondary data from the Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS) conducted for the year 2006-2007 was used. PDHS is a nationally representative household survey. Relevant data needed from the PDHS data file were coded and filtered. The sample size of EMPW with at least one child born in the last 5 years was 2,515. Data was analyzed by using SPSS. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to see the association between EMPW characteristics and LBW. Findings confirm that the majority of EMPW in Pakistan are illiterate, poor, employed in unskilled work, and belonging to rural regions. Multivariate regression analysis revealed statistical association between EMPW and LBW among mothers who did not receive prenatal care from unskilled healthcare provider (AOR 1.92; 95 % CI 1.12-3.30), had lack of access to information such as radio (AOR 1.88; 95 % CI 1.28-2.77), during pregnancy did not receive calcium (AOR 1.19; 95 % CI 1.05-1.34), and iron (AOR 1.33; 95 % CI 1.05-1.69), had experienced headaches during pregnancy (AOR 1.41; 95 % CI 1.12-1.76), and were not paid in cash for their work (AOR 1.41; 95 % CI 1.04-1.90). EMPW in Pakistan, especially in low-income jobs and rural regions, need urgent support for healthcare awareness, free supplementation of micronutrients and frequent consultation with trained practitioner during the prenatal period. Long-term mobilization of social structure and governance is needed to encourage maternal health awareness, hospital deliveries, and formal sector employment for EMPW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- BIRTH weight
LOW birth weight
CHILD health services
CLUSTER analysis (Statistics)
CONFIDENCE intervals
DIETARY supplements
EMPLOYMENT
HEALTH education
HEALTH services accessibility
HEALTH status indicators
MATERNAL age
MEDICAL care use
METROPOLITAN areas
PRENATAL care
PROBABILITY theory
QUESTIONNAIRES
RURAL conditions
STATISTICAL sampling
SOCIAL classes
SPOUSES
SURVEYS
VITAMINS
WORKING mothers
INFORMATION resources
MULTIPLE regression analysis
SECONDARY analysis
SOCIOECONOMIC factors
ACCESS to information
EDUCATIONAL attainment
PARITY (Obstetrics)
HEALTH literacy
FAMILY planning
DATA analysis software
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
INFERENTIAL statistics
ODDS ratio
PREGNANCY
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10927875
- Volume :
- 19
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Maternal & Child Health Journal
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 108632821
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1708-z