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Measurement of socio‐economic status in families of children with cancer in Guatemala
Author(s) -
De Pernillo M.,
Rivas S.,
Fuentes L.,
Antillon F.,
Barr R.D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.25060
Subject(s) - latin americans , medicine , categorization , socioeconomic status , blood cancer , childhood cancer , developing country , low and middle income countries , demography , gerontology , environmental health , cancer , economic growth , population , philosophy , linguistics , epistemology , sociology , economics
The prospects for survival of children in low and middle income countries are linked to their families socio‐economic status (SES), of which income is only one component. Developing a comprehensive measure of SES is required. Informed by clinical experience, a 15‐item instrument was designed in Guatemala to categorize SES by five levels in each item. Almost 75% of families attending the Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica were in the lowest three of six categories, providing a framework for stratified financial and nutritional support. The measure of SES offers an opportunity for examining associations with health outcomes throughout Latin America. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:2071–2073. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.