Risk factors for hospitalization and infection in Canadian Inuit infants over the first year of life - a pilot study

Jenkins, Alison L.; Gyorkos, Theresa W.; Joseph, Lawrence; Culman, Kate N; Ward, Brian J.; Pekeles, Gary; Mills, Elaine L.

doi:10.3402/ijch.v63i1.17649

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…In the absence of direct measures, it is plausible that there may be more barriers to beginning breastfeeding if an infant's primary caregiver is not their biological mother, even if the biological mother is in frequent and continued contact with the infant, which is not uncommon in Inuit traditional adoptions. Indeed, previous community based research in Inuit populations supports a lower prevalence of breastfeeding in adopted infants compared to other infants [6,29]. The present findings are consistent with the possibility that the child's primary caregiver may have a significant influence on whether breastfeeding was initiated.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Published reports indicate anywhere from 17 to 42 % of Inuit infants are adopted and most of these adoptions occur shortly after birth and may be within the same family and household [29][30][31]. Failing to include all caregiver reports would likely exclude a substantially large proportion of Inuit infants and not provide information on determinants of breastfeeding in the larger population.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Prevalence and Characteristics Associated with Breastfeeding Initiation Among Canadian Inuit from the 2007–2008 Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey

McIsaac

Sellen

Lou

et al. 2015

Matern Child Health J

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We aimed to determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, breastfeeding initiation in Canadian Inuit. We used data from the Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey, a population-based, cross-sectional survey conducted in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Inuit children aged 3-5 years in 2007 or 2008 were randomly selected for the survey. Select household, maternal, infant and community characteristics were collected from the child's primary caregiver and entered into logistic regression models as potential predictors of breastfeeding initiation. Analyses were repeated in a subgroup of caregiver reports from biological mothers. The reported prevalence of breastfeeding initiation was 67.6% (95% CI 62.4-72.8) overall and 85.1% (95% CI 80.2-90.1) in a subgroup of caregiver reports from biological mothers. Adjusted prevalence odds ratios (pOR) indicate the primary caregiver was an important determinant of breastfeeding (adopted parent vs. biological mother: pOR = 0.03, 95% CI 0.01-0.07; other vs. biological mother: pOR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.14-0.74). Maternal smoking during pregnancy and having access to a community birthing facility were also potentially important, but not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, data from the Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey indicate breastfeeding is initiated for more than two-thirds of children, but rates are below the national average and this may be one of several pathways to poor health outcomes documented in many Inuit communities. Considered in the particular context of birthing facilities utilization and postnatal care arrangements in Inuit communities, these results suggest that increasing breastfeeding initiation will require health interventions that effectively engage all types of primary caregivers.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Prevalence and Characteristics Associated with Breastfeeding Initiation Among Canadian Inuit from the 2007–2008 Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey

McIsaac

Sellen

Lou

et al. 2015

Matern Child Health J

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“…Presence of smokers in the home was associated with a significantly increased risk of lower respiratory tract infection in Sisimiut, Greenland, 10 and in Alaska. 29 Jenkins and colleagues 33 reported that 94% of Inuit infants in Iqaluit were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in the home, like the rate of 94% we observed, and much higher than the frequency of about 25% found in southern Canada. 34 Although some studies have found some evidence of a dose-response effect of environmental tobacco smoke, 35,36 no "safe" level has been identified.…”

Section: Researchmentioning

confidence: 44%

Indoor air quality and the risk of lower respiratory tract infections in young Canadian Inuit children

Kovesi¹,

Gilbert²,

Stocco³

et al. 2007

Canadian Medical Association Journal

114

126

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“…The prevalence of smoking in the homes of infants and young children in northern Canada is much higher than is reported for Canada as a whole, where 25% of children under 12 years of age were exposed to ETS at home (Health Canada, 2001). Jenkins et al. (2004) reported that 85% of Inuit infants in a birth cohort from Iqaluit, Nunavut were exposed to ETS at home.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indoor air quality risk factors for severe lower respiratory tract infections in Inuit infants in Baffin Region, Nunavut: a pilot study

et al. 2006

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Inuit infants have extremely high rates of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), but the causes for this are unclear. The aims of this study were to assess, in young Inuit children in Baffin Region, Nunavut, the feasibility of an epidemiologic study of the association between indoor air quality (IAQ) and respiratory health; to obtain data on IAQ in their housing; and to identify and classify risk factors for LRTI. Twenty houses in Cape Dorset, Nunavut with children below 2 years of age, were evaluated using a structured housing inspection and measurement of IAQ parameters, and a respiratory health questionnaire was administered. Twenty-five percent of the children had, at some time, been hospitalized for chest illness. Houses were very small, and had a median of six occupants per house. Forty-one percent of the houses had a calculated natural air change rate <0.35 air changes per hour. NO(2) concentrations were within the acceptable range. Smokers were present in at least 90% of the households, and nicotine concentrations exceeded 1.5 microg/m(3) in 25% of the dwellings. Particulates were found to be correlated closely with nicotine but not with NO(2) concentrations, suggesting that their main source was cigarette smoking rather than leakage from furnaces. Mattress fungal levels were markedly increased, although building fungal concentrations were low. Dust-mites were virtually non-existent. Potential risk factors related to IAQ for viral LRTI in Inuit infants were observed in this study, including reduced air exchange and environmental tobacco smoke exposure. Severe lower respiratory tract infection is common in Inuit infants. We found reduced air change rates and high occupancy levels in houses in Cape Dorset, which may increase the risk of respiratory infections. This suggests the measures to promote better ventilation or more housing may be beneficial. Further health benefits may be obtained by reducing bed sharing by infants and greater turnover of mattresses, which were found to have high levels of fungi.

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Risk factors for hospitalization and infection in Canadian Inuit infants over the first year of life - a pilot study

Abstract: The results of this pilot study provide support for undertaking larger epidemiological studies in order to clarify the role of these risk factors, so that future preventive efforts can be informed and effective.

Cited by 11 publications

References 5 publications

Prevalence and Characteristics Associated with Breastfeeding Initiation Among Canadian Inuit from the 2007–2008 Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey

Prevalence and Characteristics Associated with Breastfeeding Initiation Among Canadian Inuit from the 2007–2008 Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey

Indoor air quality and the risk of lower respiratory tract infections in young Canadian Inuit children

Indoor air quality risk factors for severe lower respiratory tract infections in Inuit infants in Baffin Region, Nunavut: a pilot study

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