Faculty Collaboration Database

Richer but fatter: the unintended consequences of microcredit financing on household health and expenditure in Jamaica. Trop Med Int Health 2015 Jan;20(1):67-76

Date

10/21/2014

Pubmed ID

25329229

DOI

10.1111/tmi.12403

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84913609852 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   4 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there was a difference in wealth and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk between microcredit loan beneficiaries and community-matched non-beneficiaries (controls).

METHODS: Seven hundred and twenty-six households of microcredit loan beneficiaries were matched with 726 controls by age, sex and community. A standardised interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data on health and household expenditure. Weights, heights, waist circumference and blood pressure measurements were taken for an adult and one child (6-16 years) from each household.

RESULTS: Amongst adults, there was no difference in the prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension. More male (68.1% vs. 47.8%) and female beneficiaries (84.5% vs. 77.9%) were overweight/obese. More male (17.2% vs. 7.1%; P < 0.05) and female beneficiaries (68.5% vs. 63.3%; P < 0.05) exhibited substantially increased risk for CVD. Children of beneficiaries displayed higher mean BMI-for-age z-scores than their control peers: males 0.56 [95% CI 0.40-0.72] vs. 0.18 [95% CI 0.02-0.35] (P < 0.001) and females 0.66 [95% CI 0.52-0.80] vs. 0.42 [95% CI 0.29-0.56] (P < 0.001). Based on BMI-for-age z-scores, children of beneficiaries had greater odds of being overweight/obese (OR = 1.46; 95% CI 1.18-1.82) Beneficiaries were economically better off; their mean total annual expenditure and house ownership were significantly higher than controls (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Microcredit financing is positively associated with wealth acquisition but worsened cardiovascular risk status.

Author List

Gordon-Strachan G, Cunningham-Myrie C, Fox K, Kirton C, Fraser R, McLeod G, Forrester T

Author

Raphael Fraser PhD Assistant Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Body Mass Index
Cardiovascular Diseases
Case-Control Studies
Child
Female
Financing, Organized
Humans
Jamaica
Male
Obesity
Overweight
Risk Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires