OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy and acceptability of a handheld scale prototype designed for nonliterate users to classify newborns into three weight categories (>or=2,500 g; 2,000 to 2,499 g; and <2,000 g). STUDY DESIGN: Weights of 1,100 newborns in Uttar Pradesh, India, were measured on the test scale and validated against a gold standard. Mothers, family members and community health stakeholders were interviewed to assess the acceptability of the test scale. RESULT: The test scale was highly sensitive and specific at classifying newborn weight (normal weight: 95.3 and 96.3%, respectively; low birth weight: 90.4 and 99.2%, respectively; very low birth weight: 91.7 and 98.4%, respectively). It was the overall agreement of the community that the test scale was more practical and easier to interpret than the gold standard. CONCLUSION: The BIRTHweigh III scale accurately identifies low birth weight and very low birth weight newborns to target weight-specific interventions. The scale is extremely practical and useful for resource-poor settings, especially those with low levels of literacy.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy and acceptability of a handheld scale prototype designed for nonliterate users to classify newborns into three weight categories (>or=2,500 g; 2,000 to 2,499 g; and <2,000 g). STUDY DESIGN: Weights of 1,100 newborns in Uttar Pradesh, India, were measured on the test scale and validated against a gold standard. Mothers, family members and community health stakeholders were interviewed to assess the acceptability of the test scale. RESULT: The test scale was highly sensitive and specific at classifying newborn weight (normal weight: 95.3 and 96.3%, respectively; low birth weight: 90.4 and 99.2%, respectively; very low birth weight: 91.7 and 98.4%, respectively). It was the overall agreement of the community that the test scale was more practical and easier to interpret than the gold standard. CONCLUSION: The BIRTHweigh III scale accurately identifies low birth weight and very low birth weight newborns to target weight-specific interventions. The scale is extremely practical and useful for resource-poor settings, especially those with low levels of literacy.
Authors: Amnesty E LeFevre; Fatima Mir; Dipak K Mitra; Shabina Ariff; Diwakar Mohan; Imran Ahmed; Shazia Sultana; Peter J Winch; Sadia Shakoor; Nicholas E Connor; Mohammad Shahidul Islam; Shams El-Arifeen; M A Quaiyum; Abdullah H Baqui; Michael G Gravett; Mathuram Santosham; Zulfiqar A Bhutta; Anita Zaidi; Samir K Saha; Saifuddin Ahmed; Sajid Soofi; Linda A Bartlett Journal: J Glob Health Date: 2021-11-27 Impact factor: 4.413
Authors: S Amano; B P Shrestha; S S Chaube; M Higuchi; D S Manandhar; D Osrin; A Costello; N Saville Journal: Rural Remote Health Date: 2014-03-28 Impact factor: 1.759