Abstract
A cross-sectional study of 354 children under two years of age was carried out in two periurban slums, with poor sanitary and socioeconomic conditions, located in Pelotas, southern Brazil. Most (79%) of the children studied were current users of pacifiers, 15% had never used one and the remaining 6% were ex-users. Among current users, 38% sucked a pacifier most of the time ("constant users"). Of the pacifiers in constant use, 93% were cultured for evidence of fecal contamination. Fecal coliforms were present in 49% of these. Diarrhoea was reported in 35% of all the children in the two weeks preceding the survey. Among constant pacifiers users, 40% had had diarrhoea in the preceding fortnight; this proportion was 32% for occasional users and 37% for non-users. These differences were not statistically significant.
Translated title of the contribution | The use of pacifiers in children: fecal contamination and association with diarrhea |
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Original language | Portuguese |
Pages (from-to) | 373-379 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Revista de Saude Publica |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 5 |
State | Published - Oct 1994 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health