SERUM RETINOL LEVELS AMONG PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN IN CENTRAL JAVA - DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS

Background. Vitamin A deficiency is a significant problem in many coun tries in the developing world. Reports have noted demographic and soci oeconomic risk factors for Vitamin A deficiency. 'Deficiency' has usua lly been defined by clinical signs and symptoms which represent only a small proportion of those children at increased risk for Vitamin A pr eventable morbidity and mortality. Methods. As part of a population-ba sed trial of vitamin A to prevent childhood morbidity, we collected ce nsus data (n = 666), baseline socioeconomic data (n = 636) and sera (n = 666) from children aged 6-48 months in 25 adjacent Villages in a ru ral area in Central Java, Indonesia; there was more than 95% participa tion. We used t tests, ANOVA, and a multiple Variable linear regressio n model in our analyses. Results. Differences in mean retinol level we re detected for the following variables: village (P < 0.001), child's age (P = 0.03), size of sibship (P < 0.001), mother's occupation (P < 0.01), mother's education (P = 0.05), father's education (P = 0.03), m onthly household earnings (P = 0.02), land ownership (P = 0.03), posse ssion of ducks (P = 0.06), radio or tape player (P = 0.02), or a watch or clock (P = 0.07), and presence of a natural well (P = 0.09). Our r egression model Verified the predictive Value of village, age, sibship , land ownership and earnings. Conclusions. We found that owning land and that the highest and lowest categories of reported household incom e were associated with higher serum retino[ levels. We also noted clus tering of serum retinol levels by village and discovered that children from larger sibships and infants had significantly lower serum retino l levels. Vitamin A supplementation of lactating mothers, particularly of high parity, and/or their infants should be considered.