Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37120648›Full record

ArticleJournal of health, population, and nutrition2023

Outcomes of a food voucher program and factors associated with the recovery rate of children with moderate acute malnutrition in Far North Cameroon.

Ismael Teta, Brice Ulrich Saha Foudjo, Jennifer N Nielsen, Julius Oben, Georges Nguefack-Tsague, Françoise Raissa Ntentie, Volkan Cakir, Rolf Klemm, Yunhee Kang

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of health, population, and nutrition, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 39% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

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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 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Ismael TetaHelen Keller Intl, Derrière Usine Bastos, 1771 Nv Rte Bastos, Yaoundé, Cameroon. ismaelteta@gmail.com.
Brice Ulrich Saha FoudjoFaculty of Sciences, University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon.
Jennifer N NielsenHelen Keller Intl, New York, USA.
Julius ObenFaculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Georges Nguefack-TsagueDepartment of Public Health, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Françoise Raissa NtentieFaculty of Life and Earth Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Volkan CakirHelen Keller Intl, Dakar, Senegal.
Rolf KlemmHelen Keller Intl, Washington, DC, USA.
Yunhee KangInternational Health Department, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.
Université de Yaoundé I · CMHelen Keller International · USJohns Hopkins University · USUniversity of Bamenda · CM

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundResearch on moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is limited, despite its high prevalence. This study examined outcomes of bi-weekly locally available foods provided via a food voucher program (FVP) on nutritional recovery [mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) ≥ 125 mm] from MAM (defined as MUAC between 115 and 124 mm) and identified the factors associated with recovery rate in Kaélé health district, Far North Region of Cameroon.

methodsThis was a prospective study with 474 MAM children aged 6-59 months. Food voucher distribution and MUAC screening were conducted at 6 bi-weekly visits or until the child was recovered. Time to recovery was evaluated with multivariate Cox proportional regression hazard models with associations quantified using adjusted hazard ratio (aHR). The trend for MUAC, including its determinants, was examined with multivariate linear mixed effect models.

resultsThe recovery rate was 78.3% by 6 weeks after the first food basket; 3.4% remained MAM, and 5.9% were transferred for treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM defined as MUAC < 115 mm). Boys were 34% more likely to recover from MAM than girls [aHR = 1.34, 95%CI (1.09, 1.67)]. Children aged 24-53 months were 30% more likely to recover than those aged 6-11 months [aHR = 1.30, 95%CI (0.99, 1.70)]. A one unit increase in weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) was associated with 1.89-fold greater likelihood of recovery [aHR = 1.89, 95%CI (1.66, 2.14)]. Male children had on average 1.82 mm greater increase in MUAC than female children (p < 0.001). One unit increase in WHZ was associated with 3.42 mm increase in MUAC (p = 0.025). Children aged 12-23 and 24-53 months had 1.03 mm and 2.44 mm, respectively, greater increase in MUAC over the program than children aged 6-11 months (all p < 0.01).

conclusionThe recovery rate of MAM children treated with the FVP met the Sphere standards for targeted supplementary feeding programs (> 75%). Child's WHZ, gender and age were significant factors associated with MUAC increase and recovery from MAM in the FVP. These findings indicate the FVP approach shows promise as an effective alternative treatment for MAM with consideration of associated factors and merits further evaluation.

Indexed as

MalnutritionSevere Acute MalnutritionCameroonChildFemaleHumansInfantMalePrevalenceProspective StudiesCameroonFood voucher program (FVP)Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM)Program evaluationRecovery

Identifiers

PMID37120648
PMCPMC10148527
OpenAlexW4367368951

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.