Early child stimulation, linear growth and neurodevelopment in low birth weight infants

BMC Pediatrics

Table 4 Association between PROCESS score categories and neurodevelopmental outcomes, by stunting status

Variable	N = 516
Variable	Adjusted regression coefficient (b) ^a	95% CI	P-value
Cognitive composite score (P-value for interaction between PROCESS score categories and stunting categories = 0.17)
LAZ < -2 (n = 271)
Low stimulation	Ref
Moderate stimulation	11.09	7.26, 14.92	< 0.001
High stimulation	15.17	9.66, 20.68	< 0.001
LAZ ≥ −2 (n = 245)
Low stimulation	Ref
Moderate stimulation	6.37	1.77, 10.97	0.007
High stimulation	9.31	3.54, 15.08	0.002
Motor composite score (P-value for interaction between PROCESS score categories and stunting categories = 0.12)
LAZ < -2 (n = 271)
Low stimulation	Ref
Moderate stimulation	8.19	4.49, 11.88	< 0.001
High stimulation	11.76	6.44, 17.06	< 0.001
LAZ ≥ −2 (n = 245)
Low stimulation	Ref
Moderate stimulation	3.28	−0.53, 7.09	0.09
High stimulation	4.24	−0.54, 9.03	0.08
Language composite score (P-value for interaction between PROCESS score categories and stunting categories = 0.05)
LAZ < -2 (n = 271)
Low stimulation	Ref
Moderate stimulation	9.26	6.58, 11.95	< 0.001
High stimulation	14.19	10.32, 18.05	< 0.001
LAZ ≥ −2 (n = 245)
Low stimulation	Ref
Moderate stimulation	4.29	0.82, 7.75	0.02
High stimulation	7.48	3.13, 11.83	0.001

^aAdjusted for wealth quintile, maternal age, maternal education, father’s age, father’s education, parity, birth order, sex of the infant, gestational age, exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months, study groups (intervention and control) and hospitalization for severe illness during infancy; Low stimulation (PROCESS score; < Mean-1SD); moderate stimulation (PROCESS score; Mean ± 1 SD) and high stimulation (PROCESS score; > Mean + 1SD)
LAZ Length for age Z score, PROCESS Pediatric Review of Children’s Environmental Support and Stimulation, SD Standard Deviation

ISSN: 1471-2431