TY - JOUR
T1 - Vitamin A deficiency in the South Pacific
AU - Schaumberg, DA A.
AU - Linehan, M.
AU - Hawley, G.
AU - O'Connor, J.
AU - Dreyfuss, M.
AU - Semba, RD D.
N1 - Funding Information:
The Kiribati Vitamin A Deficiency Assessment survey was a collaborative effort between the Government of Kiribati, Ministry of Health and Family Planning, Helen Keller International, the Johns Hopkins University, and the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific with funding provided by the Health, Population and Nutrition Office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu surveys were conducted by the Vitamin A Field Support Project (VITAL), the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific, the Department of Public Health of the Cook Islands. the Department of Health and Medical Services of Solomon Islands, the Ministry of Health of Tuvalu and the Department of Health of Vanuam, with funding from the Health, Population and Nutrition Office, USAID.
PY - 1995/9
Y1 - 1995/9
N2 - Vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of morbidity, mortality and blindness amongchildren. Although vitamin A deficiency is known to affect many children in developing countries, the magnitude of the problem in the South Pacific region is unclear. Methods: Five cross-sectional surveys for vitamin A deficiency were conducted between 1989 and 1992 in the Republic of Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Republic of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands. Results: In total, 10673 children between the ages of 6 and 72 months were examined for clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency (nightblindness and xerophthalmia). The prevalence of xerophthalmia was 14.76% in the Republic of Kiribati, 1.55% in Solomon Islands, 0.59% in the Cook Islands, 0.28% in Tuvalu, and 0.11% in Vanuatu. The most common clinical findings were Bitot's spots followed by nightblindness. Xerophthalmia was more common among boys (Kiribati P<0.001, Solomon Islands P=0.03) and tended to occur in older preschool children (P<0.0001). Conclusions: These studies suggest that vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in the Republic of Kiribati and Solomon Islands.
AB - Vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of morbidity, mortality and blindness amongchildren. Although vitamin A deficiency is known to affect many children in developing countries, the magnitude of the problem in the South Pacific region is unclear. Methods: Five cross-sectional surveys for vitamin A deficiency were conducted between 1989 and 1992 in the Republic of Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Republic of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands. Results: In total, 10673 children between the ages of 6 and 72 months were examined for clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency (nightblindness and xerophthalmia). The prevalence of xerophthalmia was 14.76% in the Republic of Kiribati, 1.55% in Solomon Islands, 0.59% in the Cook Islands, 0.28% in Tuvalu, and 0.11% in Vanuatu. The most common clinical findings were Bitot's spots followed by nightblindness. Xerophthalmia was more common among boys (Kiribati P<0.001, Solomon Islands P=0.03) and tended to occur in older preschool children (P<0.0001). Conclusions: These studies suggest that vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in the Republic of Kiribati and Solomon Islands.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029151397&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0029151397&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0033-3506(95)80002-6
DO - 10.1016/S0033-3506(95)80002-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 7480595
AN - SCOPUS:0029151397
SN - 0033-3506
VL - 109
SP - 311
EP - 317
JO - Public Health
JF - Public Health
IS - 5
ER -