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Context matters—child growth within a constrained socio-economic environment

Context matters—child growth within a constrained socio-economic environment
Context matters—child growth within a constrained socio-economic environment
Communities in major cities in developing countries may experience economic vulnerability, which has detrimental consequences for maternal and child health. This study investigated individual-, household-, and community-level factors associated with child growth and resilience of early-grade learners aged 6 to 8 years. Demographic characteristics, depression scale, child wellbeing, and anthropometric measurements were collected on a sample of 162 caregiver–child pairs (children 46% female) who receive the child support grant (cash transfer programme) from five low-income urban communities in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa. Height and weight were converted to z-scores using the WHO Anthroplus software. Multiple linear regression was used to assess factors associated with child health outcomes and multi-level regression to account for community-level factors. Higher income vulnerability was associated with lower weight- and height-for-age z-scores (WAZ and HAZ). Not completing secondary schooling and higher household size were associated with lower HAZ but higher BAZ. Child male sex and caregiver with depression were associated with lower child resilience. Caregiver’s level of schooling and household size remained independent predictors of child growth, while the caregiver’s mental health status independently predicted child resilience. Thus, notwithstanding systemic constraints, there may be modifiable drivers that can help in developing targeted intervention.
urban environment, poverty, cash transfers, child growth, child resilience, maternal depression, developing countries, South Africa
1660-4601
Nyati, Lukhanyo H.
18d7ac34-0c97-4f40-9195-5eee0a8ed7ff
Patel, Leila
2bb36c63-8b19-4973-9b5e-89b405926437
Haffejee, Sadiyya
fbc9fccb-ad16-4a1c-80ff-a6e6910adf2d
Sello, Matshidiso
d182e346-c3ce-4324-a653-2117c7231d2c
Mbowa, Sonia
e8f77f0e-b07b-4146-8a43-1b1c6d4f3a0d
Sani, Tania
d73f022e-9f91-4cfa-94a4-11f7b7647abe
Norris, Shane A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4
Nyati, Lukhanyo H.
18d7ac34-0c97-4f40-9195-5eee0a8ed7ff
Patel, Leila
2bb36c63-8b19-4973-9b5e-89b405926437
Haffejee, Sadiyya
fbc9fccb-ad16-4a1c-80ff-a6e6910adf2d
Sello, Matshidiso
d182e346-c3ce-4324-a653-2117c7231d2c
Mbowa, Sonia
e8f77f0e-b07b-4146-8a43-1b1c6d4f3a0d
Sani, Tania
d73f022e-9f91-4cfa-94a4-11f7b7647abe
Norris, Shane A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4

Nyati, Lukhanyo H., Patel, Leila, Haffejee, Sadiyya, Sello, Matshidiso, Mbowa, Sonia, Sani, Tania and Norris, Shane A. (2022) Context matters—child growth within a constrained socio-economic environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (19), [11944]. (doi:10.3390/ijerph191911944).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Communities in major cities in developing countries may experience economic vulnerability, which has detrimental consequences for maternal and child health. This study investigated individual-, household-, and community-level factors associated with child growth and resilience of early-grade learners aged 6 to 8 years. Demographic characteristics, depression scale, child wellbeing, and anthropometric measurements were collected on a sample of 162 caregiver–child pairs (children 46% female) who receive the child support grant (cash transfer programme) from five low-income urban communities in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa. Height and weight were converted to z-scores using the WHO Anthroplus software. Multiple linear regression was used to assess factors associated with child health outcomes and multi-level regression to account for community-level factors. Higher income vulnerability was associated with lower weight- and height-for-age z-scores (WAZ and HAZ). Not completing secondary schooling and higher household size were associated with lower HAZ but higher BAZ. Child male sex and caregiver with depression were associated with lower child resilience. Caregiver’s level of schooling and household size remained independent predictors of child growth, while the caregiver’s mental health status independently predicted child resilience. Thus, notwithstanding systemic constraints, there may be modifiable drivers that can help in developing targeted intervention.

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Submitted date: 9 August 2022
Accepted/In Press date: 16 September 2022
Published date: 21 September 2022
Keywords: urban environment, poverty, cash transfers, child growth, child resilience, maternal depression, developing countries, South Africa

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 496981
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/496981
ISSN: 1660-4601
PURE UUID: 304e0182-032c-4401-8841-aa149d2c9959
ORCID for Shane A. Norris: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7124-3788

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Date deposited: 09 Jan 2025 17:33
Last modified: 10 Jan 2025 03:05

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Contributors

Author: Lukhanyo H. Nyati
Author: Leila Patel
Author: Sadiyya Haffejee
Author: Matshidiso Sello
Author: Sonia Mbowa
Author: Tania Sani
Author: Shane A. Norris ORCID iD

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