Recent trends in maternal and child health inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean: analysis of repeated national surveys.

Although most Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) countries made important progress in maternal and child health indicators from the 1990s up to 2010, little is known about such progress in the last decade. This study aims at documenting progress for each country as a whole, and to assess how within-country socioeconomic inequalities are evolving over time. We identified LAC countries for which a national survey was available between 2011-2015 and a second comparable survey in 2018-2020. These included Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Honduras, Peru, and Suriname. The 16 surveys included in the analysis collected nationally representative data on 221,989 women and 152,983 children using multistage sampling. Twelve health-related outcomes were studied, seven of which related to intervention coverage: the composite coverage index, demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods, antenatal care (four or more visits and eight or more visits), skilled attendant at birth, postnatal care for the mother and full immunization coverage. Five additional impact indicators were also investigated: stunting prevalence among under-five children, tobacco use by women, adolescent fertility rate, and under-five and neonatal mortality rates. For each of these indicators, average annual relative change rates were calculated between the baseline and endline national level estimates, and changes in socioeconomic inequalities over time were assessed using the slope index of inequality. Progress over time and the magnitude of inequalities varied according to country and indicator. For countries and indicators where baseline levels were high, as Argentina, Costa Rica and Cuba, progress was slow and inequalities small for most indicators. Countries that still have room for improvements, such as Guyana, Honduras, Peru and Suriname, showed faster progress for some but not all indicators, although also had wider inequalities. Among the countries studied, Peru was the top performer in terms of increasing coverage and reducing inequalities over time, followed by Honduras. Declines in family planning and immunization coverage were observed in some countries, and the widest inequalities were present for adolescent fertility and antenatal care coverage with eight or more visits. Although LAC countries are well placed in terms of current levels of health indicators compared to most low- and middle-income countries, important inequalities remain, and reversals are being observed in some areas. More targeted efforts and actions are needed in order to leave no one behind. Monitoring progress with an equity lens is essential, but this will require further investment in conducting surveys routinely.

Mujica OJ ，Sanhueza A ，Carvajal-Velez L ，Vidaletti LP ，Costa JC ，Barros AJD ，Victora CG ... -  《International Journal for Equity in Health》

Progress in reducing inequalities in reproductive, maternal, newborn,' and child health in Latin America and the Caribbean: an unfinished agenda.

Restrepo-Méndez MC ，Barros AJ ，Requejo J ，Durán P ，Serpa LA ，França GV ，Wehrmeister FC ，Victora CG ... -  《-》

Trends in socioeconomic inequalities in stunting prevalence in Latin America and the Caribbean countries: differences between quintiles and deciles.

Flores-Quispe MDP ，Restrepo-Méndez MC ，Maia MFS ，Ferreira LZ ，Wehrmeister FC ... -  《International Journal for Equity in Health》

SDG3-related inequalities in women's, children's and adolescents' health: an SDG monitoring baseline for Latin America and the Caribbean using national cross-sectional surveys.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries have made important progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets related to health (SDG3) at the national level. However, vast within-country health inequalities remain. We present a baseline of health inequalities in the region, against which progress towards the SDGs can be monitored. We studied 21 countries in LAC using data from Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey carried out from 2011 to 2016 PARTICIPANTS: The surveys collect nationally representative data on women and children using multistage sampling. In total, 288 207 women and 195 092 children made part of the surveys in the 21 countries. Five health intervention indicators were studied, related to reproductive and maternal health, along with adolescent fertility and neonatal and under-five mortality rates. Inequalities in these indicators were assessed through absolute and relative measures. In most countries, subnational geographical health gradients were observed for nearly all women, child, and adolescent (WCA) indicators. Coverage of key interventions was higher in urban areas and among the richest, compared with rural areas and poorer quintiles. Analyses by woman's age showed that coverage was lower in adolescent girls than older women for family planning indicators. Pro-urban and pro-rich inequalities were also seen for mortality in most countries. Regional averages hide important health inequalities between countries, but national estimates hide still greater inequalities between subgroups of women, children and adolescents. To achieve the SDG3 targets and leave no one behind, it is essential to close health inequality gaps within as well as between countries.

Sanhueza A ，Carvajal-Vélez L ，Mújica OJ ，Vidaletti LP ，Victora CG ，Barros AJ ... -  《BMJ Open》

Contraceptive use in Latin America and the Caribbean with a focus on long-acting reversible contraceptives: prevalence and inequalities in 23 countries.

The rise in contraceptive use has largely been driven by short-acting methods of contraception, despite the high effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraceptives. Several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have made important progress increasing the use of modern contraceptives, but important inequalities remain. We assessed the prevalence and demand for modern contraceptive use in Latin America and the Caribbean with data from national health surveys. Our data sources included demographic and health surveys, multiple indicator cluster surveys, and reproductive health surveys carried out since 2004 in 23 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Analyses were based on sexually active women aged 15-49 years irrespective of marital status, except in Argentina and Brazil, where analyses were restricted to women who were married or in a union. We calculated contraceptive prevalence and demand for family planning satisfied. Contraceptive prevalence was defined as the percentage of sexually active women aged 15-49 years who (or whose partners) were using a contraceptive method at the time of the survey. Demand for family planning satisfied was defined as the proportion of women in need of contraception who were using a contraceptive method at the time of the survey. We separated survey data for modern contraceptive use by type of contraception used (long-acting, short-acting, or permanent). We also stratified survey data by wealth, area of residence, education, ethnicity, age, and a combination of wealth and area of residence. Wealth-related absolute and relative inequalities were estimated both for contraceptive prevalence and demand for family planning satisfied. We report on surveys from 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, analysing a sample of 212 573 women. The lowest modern contraceptive prevalence was observed in Haiti (31·3%) and Bolivia (34·6%); inequalities were wide in Bolivia, but almost non-existent in Haiti. Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, and Paraguay had over 70% of modern contraceptive prevalence with low absolute inequalities. Use of long-acting reversible contraceptives was below 10% in 17 of the 23 countries. Only Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago had more than 10% of women adopting long-acting contraceptive methods. Mexico was the only country in which long-acting contraceptive methods were more frequently used than short-acting methods. Young women aged 15-17 years, indigenous women, those in lower wealth quintiles, those living in rural areas, and those without education showed particularly low use of long-acting reversible contraceptives. Long-acting reversible contraceptives are seldom used in Latin America and the Caribbean. Because of their high effectiveness, convenience, and ease of continuation, availability of long-acting reversible contraceptives should be expanded and their use promoted, including among young and nulliparous women. In addition to suitable family planning services, information and counselling should be provided to women on a personal basis. Wellcome Trust, Pan American Health Organization.

Ponce de Leon RG ，Ewerling F ，Serruya SJ ，Silveira MF ，Sanhueza A ，Moazzam A ，Becerra-Posada F ，Coll CVN ，Hellwig F ，Victora CG ，Barros AJD ... -  《Lancet Global Health》