Cent Eur J Public Health 2004, 12(1):53-57

Investigation of the probable causes of specific childhood disabilities in Eastern Afghanistan (Preliminary report)

Nasir J.A., Chanmugham P., Tahir F., Ahmed A., Shinwari F.

Enviromental Health Department Public Health Division, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan

To identify risk factors likely to cause developmental disabilities and to generate hypotheses for a further study of risk factors predisposing to disability and slow mental and physical development. Mothers and children attending/visiting the Sandy Gall's Afghanistan Appeal (SGAA) clinics in the East Zone of Afghanistan. The main outcome measures, developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy (CP), club foot, CDH and polio. Results, 37.5% of the disabilities were present at birth, 46% of the disabled children were born from parents who are 1st cousin which was confirmed by computing χ2 value, which is 10.87 with one degree of freedom. 58.3% of the disabled children were born from parents who lack antenatal care. 22.4% of the pregnant women in the defined population had antenatal checkups, and 97% of the mothers in the defined population are illiterate, 52% of the children found with CP specific and mental retardation. 25% were with delayed physical and mental development. 13% were with CP specific and 10 % were club foot. 2% of the children were visually handicapped, 9% with hearing impairment. 61% of children were from Nangarhar, 25% from Laghman and 14% from Kunar.

Klíčová slova: developmental disabilities, children, Afghanistan

Vloženo: 11. červenec 2002; Revidováno: 14. květen 2003; Přijato: 14. květen 2003; Zveřejněno: 1. březen 2004  Zobrazit citaci