A model to improve anemia and child care in rural Peru

Objective. Determine the effectiveness of the Integrated Growth and Development Strategy (ECDI, Spanish acronym) of World Vision Peru on anemia, malnutrition, psychomotor development, and child care and protection in children aged <3 years living in three rural communities of Ayacucho Region, Peru. Methods. A quasi-experiment was carried out in three rural districts of Ayacucho Region, Peru. Anemia was measured using capillary blood and the HemoCue (R) analyzer, with hemoglobin values adjusted for altitude. Malnutrition was measured with anthropometric indicators for height and weight, using the World Health Organization's Anthro software. Psychomotor development was measured with the Abbreviated Test of the Ministry of Health of Peru. Child care and protection was measured using a form specifically designed for this purpose. Three measurements were carried out: baseline in May 2013, midpoint in November 2013, and final in May 2014. In total, 283 children had two or more measurements including the final measurement, and 205 had all three measurements. Results. Multivariate analysis for repeated measures showed that ECDI had an estimated 33.1% effectiveness in reducing anemia (95% CI: 1.0%-54.7%), adjusted for age, sex, consumption of iron-rich foods, consumption of iron-absorption-enhancing foods, consumption of iron-absorption-inhibiting foods, having received iron supplementation in the last six months, and having participated in the Cuna Mas Program. Conclusions. ECDI was effective in improving nutrition in children aged <36 months through anemia reduction and increased consumption of iron-absorption enhancers. Interventions that include educational and community monitoring components could be of great assistance to combating anemia in children aged <36 months in rural communities.