RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A low cost, colour coded, hand held spring scale accurately categorises birth weight in low resource settings
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 410
OP 413
DO 10.1136/adc.2005.088781
VO 91
IS 5
A1 L C Mullany
A1 G L Darmstadt
A1 P Coffey
A1 S K Khatry
A1 S C LeClerq
A1 J M Tielsch
YR 2006
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/91/5/410.abstract
AB Aims: 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).Methods: The test device was compared to a gold standard digital baby scale with precision to 2 g. In Sarlahi district, Nepal, 1890 newborns were eligible for the study. Measurements were collected for both the test device and the digital scale from 1820 (96.3%) newborns.Results: The overall low birth weight (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 categoriesConclusions: 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.