Growth failure prediction in chile

Abstract

Mardones-Restat F (Family Health Unit, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile), Jones G, Mardones-Santander F, Dachs N, Habicht J-P, and Diaz M. Growth failure prediction in Chile. International Journal of Epidemiology 1989, 18 (Suppl 2): S44-S49. The purpose of this investigation was to develop screening instruments for the prediction of infants' growth failure. Biological and social variables of subjects attending public clinics in Santiago, Chile, were prospectively collected and screened as possible risk factors of being underweight/age at the end of the first year of life using three methodologies. Methodologies used were: simple relative risk, logistic regression, and classification and regression trees. As judged by sensitivity and specificity properties, the screening instrument developed by the latter methodology is much better than the other two. © International Epidemiological Association 1989.