Regional Technical Working Group Meeting on Developing Nutrition Information Systems Nairobi, 1-3 Feb 2007 Aims of Nutrition Information John B Mason, Tulane SPHTM
Area level survey results, Kenya: GAM % by season
Area level survey results, pooled & smoothed: Kenya, GAM%, by season
Area level survey results, pooled & smoothed: Ethiopia, GAM%, by season
Uses of information can be distinguished into: long-term planning and policy-making programme monitoring and evaluation timely warning to pre-empt and mitigate crises
Usual sources of data are: repeated large-scale surveys (e.g. natl, DHS, MICS) area level surveys (e.g. 30 by 30) reporting systems using data from clinics, screeening, programmes sentinels systems, from sites (e.g. clinics) or special surveys
Trends give the most useful information Note: evaluation only really works with before-after + with-without data
Technical issues for surveys sampling procedures mortality estimates indicators
Sampling procedures PPS, then issue is at last stage Options: spin-the-bottle; segmentation-full enumeration; segmentation then sample Consider bias; re-estimating pop numbers (for weights) Depends on feasibility (incl. habitation features: e.g. along road/river vs round); and use Compare results with norms, use for targeting, get trends
Child mortality estimates from area level surveys Issues are Estimate and state confidence intervals, which will be wide with 30*30 design, and calculate design effect Care in interpreting these -- e.g. what does /10,000/day over last 3 months mean?
Indicators Malnutrition can worsen without showing in wasting -- see Srn Africa 02-3: use wt/age if possible Evidence suggests: interpret wasting WITHIN populations, not across, because of different growth patterns and relations to mortality More focus on getting ages?
Differences in stunting and wasting in two regions of Kenya
Differential growth patterns in Uganda and Somalia
Maternal and new born data Birth weight relates to maternal BMI, but that is not directly related to MMR as indicator of health care...
Different relations between GAM% and child mortality in different populations Hence interpret GAM within populations, not across...
Fitting systems together and deciding priorities
Capacity Enough people? Is this useful for them? Needed skills? Resources and priorities? How to meet these needs…?