WHO Growth Standards and Child Mortality in Niger
Author Information
Author(s): Nathanael Lapidus, Francisco J. Luquero, Valérie Gaboulaud, Susan Shepherd, Rebecca F. Grais
Primary Institution: Epicentre, Paris, France
Hypothesis
How do the WHO growth standards compare to the NCHS reference in predicting mortality among malnourished children?
Conclusion
The WHO growth standards are more accurate than the NCHS reference for predicting mortality risk in malnourished children.
Supporting Evidence
- WHO standards showed higher accuracy in predicting mortality than NCHS reference.
- AUC values for WHO indicators were 0.76 and 0.77, compared to 0.63 and 0.71 for NCHS.
- The study included a large sample size of 64,484 children.
Takeaway
This study found that using WHO growth standards helps doctors better predict which malnourished children might die, compared to older methods.
Methodology
Data from 64,484 malnourished children aged 6-59 months were analyzed to compare the accuracy of WHO and NCHS growth standards in predicting mortality.
Potential Biases
Selection bias due to the study population being limited to children admitted to a nutritional program.
Limitations
Results may not be generalizable to all malnourished children as the study focused on those already receiving treatment.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 6-59 months, with a higher proportion of girls (55.5%) and an average age of 19.5 months.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.60–0.66 for NCHS WHZ; 95% CI 0.75–0.80 for WHO WHZ
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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