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Poverty is a well-established risk factor for behavior problems, yet our understanding of putative family mediators during early childhood (i.e., before age 5 years) is limited. The present study investigated whether the association between poverty and behavior problems during early childhood is mediated simultaneously by perceived parenting, family dysfunction and/or maternal depression symptoms. Outcomes measures were high trajectories of physical aggression and hyperactivity between 1.5 and 5 years. Poverty was defined as living 2-4 years below the low-income thresholds defined by Statistics Canada. Using data from the first five rounds of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, logistic regressions models showed that poverty was associated with a higher likelihood of being assigned to the high trajectory of physical aggression and hyperactivity. Overprotection and maternal depression symptoms mediated observed associations. Interventions targeting maternal depression, parenting, and poverty should help reducing children's risk for early behavior problems.

We developed an instrument for HIV/AIDS behavioral surveillance applicable to youth living in urban West Africa. The instrument includes a comprehensive set of constructs borrowed from the sociocognitive theory of planned behavior as well as measures of parental and peer communication An exploratory (n = 189) and validation sample (n = 342) of young men and women living in Bamako were interviewed. Scale construct validity was assessed via factor analysis and multiple linear regressions and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's coefficient. All constructs had high internal consistency, scales' structure was relatively stable, and associations between different components of the questionnaire were in the predicted directions. Gender, sexual experience and education were significantly associated with attitudes and perception of control. Furthermore, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, perceived norms, and peer communication significantly predicted condom use. This questionnaire offers a valid and reliable tool for assessing young people's sexual behavior in an urban West African setting.

Objective To assess the socioeconomic, geographical and demographic inequities in the use of postnatal health-care services in low- and middle-income countries. Methods We searched Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central databases and grey literature for experimental, quasi-experimental and observational studies that had been conducted in low- and middle-income countries. We summarized the relevant studies qualitatively and performed meta-analyses of the use of postnatal care services according to selected indicators of socioeconomic status and residence in an urban or rural setting. Findings A total of 36 studies were included in the narrative synthesis and 10 of them were used for the meta-analyses. Compared with women in the lowest quintile of socioeconomic status, the pooled odds ratios for use of postnatal care by women in the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles were: 1.14 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.96-1.34), 1.32 (95% CI: 1.12-1.55), 1.60 (95% CI: 1.30-1.98) and 2.27 (95% CI: 1.75-2.93) respectively. Compared to women living in rural settings, the pooled odds ratio for the use of postnatal care by women living in urban settings was 1.36 (95% CI: 1.01-1.81). A qualitative assessment of the relevant published data also indicated that use of postnatal care services increased with increasing level of education. Conclusion In low- and middle-income countries, use of postnatal care services remains highly inequitable and varies markedly with socioeconomic status and between urban and rural residents. Objectif Evaluer les Inegalites socio-economiques, geographiques et demographiques en matiere d'utilisation des soins de sante postnatals dans les pays a revenu faible et a revenu intermediaire. Methodes Nous avons effectue une recherche bibliographique dans les bases de donnees Medline, Embase et Cochrane Central, ainsi que dans la litterature grise, pour trouver les etudes experimentales, quasiexperimentales et observationnelles qui ont ete menees dans les pays a revenu faible et a revenu intermediaire. Nous avons fait la synthese qualitative des etudes pertinentes et effectue des meta-analyses de l'utilisation des services de soins postnatals en fonction des Indicateurs choisis pour le statut socio-economique et la residence dans les zones urbaines ou rurales. Resultats Un total de 36 etudes ont ete incluses dans la synthese narrative et 10 d'entre elles ont ete utilisees pour les meta-analyses. Par rapport aux femmes du quintile de statut socio-economique le plus bas, les rapports des cotes regroupes pour l'utilisation des soins postnatals par les femmes dans le deuxieme, troisieme quatrieme et cinquieme quintiles etaient de: 1,14 (intervalle de confiance a 95%, IC: 0,96-1,34) et 1,32 (IC a 95%: 1,12-1,55) et 1,60 (IC a 95%: 1,30-1,98) et 2,27 (IC a 95%: 1,75-2,93), respectivement. Par rapport aux femmes vivant en zones rurales, le rapport des cotes regroupe pour l'utilisation des soins postnatals par les femmes vivant en zones urbaines etait de 1,36 (IC a 95%: 1,01-1,81). Une evaluation qualitative des donnees publiees pertinentes a egalement indique que l'utilisation des services de soins postnatals augmentait avec l'augmentation du niveau d'education. Conclusion Dans les pays a revenu faible et a revenu intermediaire, l'utilisation de services de soins postnatals reste tres inequitable et varie manifestement avec le statut socio-economique et entre les residents urbains et ruraux. Objetivo Evaluar las desigualdades socioeconomicas, geograficas y demograficas en el uso de los servidos de salud de atencion posnatal en paises de Ingresos bajos y medianos. Metodos Se buscaron estudios experimentales, cuasiexperimentales y observacionales que se habian llevado a cabo en paises de Ingresos bajos y medianos en las bases de datos Medline, Embase y Cochrane Central, asi como en la literatura gris. Se resumieron los estudios relevantes cualitativamente y se realizaron metaanalisis sobre el uso de los servicios de atencion posnatal segun Indicadores seleccionados del nivel socioeconomico y residencia en un entorno urbano o rural. Resultados Se incluyo un total de 36 estudios en la sintesis narrativa, 10 de los cuales se utilizaron para los metaanalisis. En comparacion con las mujeres del quintil mas bajo del nivel socioeconomico, las razones de posibilidades agrupadas del uso de atencion posnatal de las mujeres en el segundo, tercer, cuartoy quinto quintiles fueron: 1,14 (Intervalo de confianza del 95 %, IC: 0,96-1,34), 1,32 (IC del 95 %: 1,12-1,55), 1,60 (IC del 95 %: 1,30-1,98) y 2,27 (IC del 95 %: 1,75-2,93), respectivamente. En comparacion con las mujeres que viven en entornos rurales, la razon de posibilidades agrupada del uso de atencion posnatal por mujeres que viven en entornos urbanos fue 1,36 (IC del 95 %: 1,01-1,81). Una evaluacion cualitativa de los datos relevantes publicados Indico ademas que el uso de servicios de atencion posnatal ha aumentado mediante el aumento del nivel de educacion. Conclusion En los paises de ingresos bajos y medianos, el uso de servicios de atencion posnatal sigue siendo muy desigual y varia notablemente con el nivel socioeconomico y entre los residentes urbanos y rurales., Introduction Each year an estimated 289 000 women die worldwide from complications related to pregnancy, childbirth or the postnatal period' and up to two thirds of such maternal deaths occur [...]