CHILD MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY FOLLOWING VITAMIN-A SUPPLEMENTATION IN GHANA - TIME SINCE DOSING, NUMBER OF DOSES, AND TIME OF YEAR

Objectives. The impact of large-dose vitamin A supplementation given a t intervals of 4 months on child mortality and morbidity was examined according to the time interval since dosing, number of doses received previously, and time of year. Methods. Two double-blind, randomized, p lacebo-controlled trials of large doses of vitamin A administered at i ntervals of 4 months were conducted in adjacent populations in norther n Ghana. Results. While vitamin A supplementation significantly reduce d the overall incidence of severe illnesses (especially diarrhea with dehydration), clinic attendances, hospital admissions, and mortality, there was no evidence that the impact of each dose of vitamin A was re lated to the number of doses the child had received previously. There was no evidence that the effectiveness of the supplement waned over th e 3 to 5 months between doses. The impact on mortality did not differ significantly by the month in which the supplement had been given. Con clusions. In the study population, there was no evidence that an inter val between doses of less than 4 months would have had a greater impac t on severe morbidity or mortality, and the effectiveness of supplemen tation did not vary by time of year.