Arch Dis Child. Published Online First: 7 February 2006. doi:10.1136/adc.2005.088781
Original articles |
A low-cost, color-coded, hand-held spring scale accurately categorises birth weight in low-resource settings
1 Johns Hopkins University, United States
2 Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, United States
3 Nepal Nutrition Intervention Project, Sarlahi, Nepal
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: gdarmsta{at}jhsph.edu.
Accepted 9 January 2006
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to determine the accuracy of a low-cost, spring-calibrated, hand-held scale in classifying newborns into three weight categories (> 2500 g, 2000-2499 g, < 2000 g).
Design: Study of diagnostic accuracy. The test device was compared to a gold standard digital baby scale with precision to 2 g.
Setting: Sarlahi district, Nepal, March-June 2004. Participants: 1890 newborns were eligible for the study. Measurements were collected for both the test device and the digital scale from 1820 (96.3%) newborns.
Main Outcome Measures: The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the test device were estimated using the digital scale measurements as the gold standard.
Results: The overall LBW prevalence rate for the gold standard digital scale was 28.1% (511/1820). Sensitivity (93.7%) and specificity (97.6%) of the test device was high compared to LBW classifications based on digital weight measurements. Classification of infants into the < 2000 g category was 5.0% and 4.7% for the gold standard and test device, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of the test device in identifying infants < 2000 g was 87.8% and 99.6%, respectively. Positive predictive values were high (>91%) for both weight categories.
Conclusions: This low-cost, simple-to-use device classified infants into weight categories with a high degree of consistency and accuracy that exceeds that of surrogate measures. This new device is useful for identifying and targeting life-saving interventions for LBW, high-risk infants in settings where infants are born in the home and conventional weighing scales are unavailable.
Keywords: low birth weight, neonatal, scale, sensitivity and specificity, validity
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