Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36959346›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2023

Socioeconomic and education-based inequality in suspected developmental delays among Nepalese children: a subnational level assessment.

Kiran Acharya, Md Shafiur Rahman, Md Rashedul Islam, Stuart Gilmour, Bibha Dhungel, Rajendra P Parajuli, Tomoko Nishimura, Atsushi Senju, Kenji J Tsuchiya

Open access · goldFull text read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 35% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Kiran Acharya *New ERA, Rudramati Marg, Kalopul, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Md Shafiur Rahman *Research Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan. srahman@hama-med.ac.jp.
Md Rashedul IslamDepartment of Global Health Policy, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Stuart GilmourGraduate School of Public Health, St. Luke's International University, Tokyo, Japan.
Bibha DhungelGraduate School of Public Health, St. Luke's International University, Tokyo, Japan.
Rajendra P ParajuliCentral Department of Zoology, Central Campus, Institute of Science and Technology (IOST), Tribhuvan University, Kritipur‑1, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Tomoko NishimuraResearch Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan.
Atsushi SenjuResearch Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan.
Kenji J TsuchiyaResearch Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan.
Chiba University · JPSt. Luke's International University · JPKanazawa University · JPOsaka University · JPThe University of Tokyo · JPTribhuvan University · NP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Failure to meet early childhood developmental milestones leads to difficulty in schooling and social functioning. Evidence on the inequality in the burden of developmental delays across population groups, and identification of potential risk factors for suspected developmental delays (SDD) among younger children, are essential for designing appropriate policies and programs. This study explored the level of socioeconomic and maternal education-based inequality in the prevalence of SDD among Nepalese children at subnational level and identified potential risk factors. Individual-level data from the 2019 Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey was used to estimate the prevalence of SDD among children aged 3-4 years. Regression-based slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality were used to measure the magnitude of inequality, in terms of household socioeconomic status (SES) and mother's education, in the prevalence of SDD. In addition, a multilevel logistic regression model was used to identify potential risk factors for SDD. The national prevalence of SDD was found to be 34.8%, with relatively higher prevalence among children from rural areas (40.0%) and those from Karnali Province (45.0%) followed by Madhesh province (44.2%), and Sudhurpashchim Province (40.1%). The prevalence of SDD was 32 percentage points higher (SII: -0.32) among children from the poorest households compared to their rich counterparts at the national level. At the subnational level, such inequality was found to be highest in Lumbini Province (SII = -0.47) followed by Karnali Province (SII = -0.37), and Bagmati Province (SII = -0.37). The prevalence of SDD was 36 percentage points higher (SII: -0.36) among children whose mother had no formal education compared to children of higher educated mothers. The magnitude of education-based absolute inequality in SDD was highest in Lumbini Province (SII = -0.44). Multilevel logistic regression model identified lower levels of mother's education, disadvantaged SES and childhood stunting as significant risk factors for SDD. One in each three children in Nepal may experience SDD, with relatively higher prevalence among children from rural areas. Subnational level variation in prevalence, and socioeconomic and education-based inequality in SDD highlight the urgent need for province-specific tailored interventions to promote early childhood development in Nepal.

Indexed as

Socioeconomic FactorsChild, PreschoolEducational StatusFemaleHumansMaleMothersNepalPrevalenceRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID36959346
PMCPMC10036624
OpenAlexW4360613765

What OpenQuestion holds

Textfull text, public
LicenceCC BY
measurements read73
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.