P-07 The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Child Growth in Guyana

Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted using the growth parameters i.e., Z scores (weight for age, weight for length/height and length/height for  age) between the pre-pandemic period March 2019-March 2020 and pandemic period March 2021 to March 2022. Growth data was collected from the well-child clinic charts and questionnaires were distributed to parents of children between the ages of 0-5 years at the Dorothy Bailey Centre to deduce impactful social issues. P values derived from the paired t-test estimated the association between the Z scores and the parameters checked. P-value<0.05= statistical significance. 

Results: A total of 181 subjects were included in the study from chart data retrieval and 55 subjects for the questionnaire portion of the study. The weight for age (p=0.000) Z scores increased from that of the pre-pandemic period to the pandemic period. 

Results: A total of 181 subjects were included in the study from chart data retrieval and 55 subjects for the questionnaire (p=0.001). Additionally, the social effects of the pandemic identified were decreased household income, children eating more than usual in some cases. Another finding was that the general health status of the children generally remained unchanged. 

Conclusion: This study found statistically significant increase increase in the Z scores in weight for age and weight for length/height but a decrease in length/height for age Z score in the pandemic year when compared to the pre-pandemic year. In relation to the social effects of the COVID-19 panedmic on families of the children aged 0-5, the most notable was a decrease physical activity and increased sleep.