Comparison of a possession score and a poverty index in predicting anaemia and undernutrition in pre-school children and women of reproductive age in rural and urban Côte d'Ivoire.

ROHNER F, TSCHANNEN AB, NORTHROP-CLEWES C, KOUASSI-GOHOU V, BOSSO PE, MASCIE-TAYLOR CGN.

June 2012, Public Health Nutrition

This article determines whether a possession score or a poverty index best predicts undernutrition and anaemia in women of reproductive age (15-49 years; WRA) and children aged 6-59 months living in Côte d’Ivoire. These socio-economic measures were compared for their ability to predict anaemia and malnutrition in women and children. Using data from a nationally representative survey conducted in Côte d’Ivoire in 2007, the poverty index showed a stronger relationship with nutritional status than the possession score; mean Hb difference between the poorest and wealthiest quintiles in children and WRA was 8·2 g/l and 6·5 g/l, respectively (13·9 % and 19·8 % difference in anaemia, respectively; P < 0·001), and Z-scores and BMI were significantly better in the wealthiest quintile (P < 0·001).