Global Child Health Flashcards
What is the under 5 mortality rate?
Probability of a child born in a specific year or period dying before reaching the age of 5
What is the infant mortality rate?
Probability of a child born in a specific year or period dying before reaching the age of 1
What is a live birth?
Any sign of life after birth irrespective of gestation
What are under 5 and infant mortality rates useful indicators of?
The level of child health and the overall development in countries
What are infant and under 5 mortality rates used for?
Millennium and sustainable development goals = allow comparison over time
What are the top 5 causes globally of under 5 mortality?
Preterm birth complications, pneumonia, intrapartum-related complications, diarrhoea, neonatal sepsis
What are the top 5 causes of under 5 mortality in Africa?
Diarrhoea, pneumonia, malaria, preterm birth complications, intrapartum-related complications
Is pneumonia a massive cause of mortality in Africa?
Yes = kills more than AIDS, measles, meningitis, pertussis and tetanus combined
What is the link between under 5 mortality and income?
Children in sub-Saharan Africa are more than 14 times more likely to die before the age of 5 than children in high-income regions
Are early child deaths found to be preventable?
Yes = more than half of these early child deaths are due to conditions that could be prevented or treated with access to simple, affordable measures
What are 45% of all child deaths linked to?
Malnutrition
What are some simple measures that could improve neonatal survival rates?
Antenatal care = tetanus vaccine, treatment for maternal infection (HIV, syphilis)
Steroid injections for preterm labour
Skilled birth attendant present
What can skilled birth attendants help with during birth?
Provide clean delivery, dry baby and keep them warm, resuscitate asphyxiated babies
How can neonatal ICU be improved in Africa?
Hygiene = homemade hand gel for cleaning
DIY resuscitate = light, heater, clock, drawers
Skin to skin contact, hot rooms, bubble CPAP
Establish breastfeeding/nasogastric expressed breastmilk if possible
What are risk factors for pneumonia?
Malnutrition, overcrowding, indoor air pollution, parental smoking
How can pneumonia be prevented?
Vaccination, breastfeeding then complimentary nutrition, good hygiene
How is pneumonia treated?
Antibiotics, fluids, oxygen (may need ventilator)
What is diarrhoea mostly attributed to?
Contaminated water and food sources
How can diarrhoea be prevented?
Safe drinking water, good hygiene and sanitation, breastfeeding and good nutrition, vaccination
How can diarrhoea be treated?
Oral rehydration solution (ORS), zinc supplements
What is ORS?
Sodium glucose co-transport system = creates osmotic pull for water
Why is ORS beneficial?
Cheap and avoids need for IV fluids in mild/moderate dehydration = water instantly absorbed in jejunum avoiding most of intestine
What are the six solutions identified by WHO to the most preventable causes of under 5 deaths?
Immediate and exclusive breastfeeding Skilled attendant for antenatal, birth and postnatal care Access to nutrition and micronutrients Family knowledge of danger signs Water, sanitation and hygiene Immunisation
What is the SDH Goal 3?
Ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all by 2030
How is SDG Goal 3 going to be achieved?
End preventable deaths in newborns and under 5s, end all forms of malnutrition, reduce by 1/3 premature mortality from non-communicable diseases
What are some diseases the SDG goal 3 wants to eliminate and combat?
Eliminate epidemics of AIDS, TB, malaria and neglected tropical diseases
Combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
Where are most cases of infant HIV from?
90% from sub-Saharan Africa = most cases due to mother to child transmission
What is the prognosis for children infected with HIV from birth?
25-30% die before age 1
50-60% die aged 3-5
5-25% live beyond 8 years old (long term survivors)