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Abstract：
Childhood stunting remains a global public health concern. Little has been documented on the effect of women\'s decision-making autonomy on child growth in settings where decision-making at the household and community levels is largely dominated by men. To assess the relationship between maternal autonomy and child growth, we analysed data from a cross-sectional study of 422 mothers and their youngest child aged 6-24 months in the Bawku West District of Ghana. The dimensions of women\'s autonomy measured were decision-making power, freedom of mobility and financial autonomy. We then compared how each dimension was associated with the likelihood of stunting and wasting. The important predictors of child growth and dietary intake as measured by the mean length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) and minimum acceptable (MAD) diet, respectively, were determined using multivariable regression models. The overall composite index of women autonomy (CIWA) showed that 52⋅8 % of women were of high autonomy and half of them had higher autonomy regarding their own and their children\'s health. After adjusting (multiple regression analysis) for potential confounders, the mean LAZ of children born to women of high autonomy was significantly higher than LAZ of children born to women of low autonomy (β = 0⋅132; 95 % CI 0⋅19, 0⋅95; P = 0⋅004). Similarly, high women\'s autonomy was a significant independent predictor of meeting MAD (AOR = 1⋅59; CI 1⋅09, 2⋅34). Of all, the dimensions of women\'s autonomy measured in this study, health care autonomy better predicted child growth and dietary intake. Based on the findings, nutrition policies and interventions that enhance women\'s decision-making autonomy could have a positive impact on child growth outcomes.
摘要：
儿童发育迟缓仍然是全球公共卫生问题。在家庭和社区一级的决策主要由男性主导的环境中，关于妇女决策自主权对儿童成长的影响的文献很少。评估母亲自主性与儿童成长之间的关系，我们分析了来自加纳Bawku西区422名母亲和年龄在6-24个月的最小孩子的横断面研究的数据.衡量女性自主性的维度是决策权，流动自由和金融自主。然后，我们比较了每个维度如何与发育迟缓和浪费的可能性相关联。通过平均年龄Z评分（LAZ）和最低可接受（MAD）饮食来衡量儿童生长和饮食摄入量的重要预测因子，分别,使用多元回归模型确定。妇女自主性综合指数（CIWA）显示，有52·8％的妇女具有高度自主性，其中一半的妇女对自己和子女的健康具有更高的自主性。在调整(多元回归分析)潜在的混杂因素后，高自主性妇女所生子女的平均LAZ显著高于低自主性妇女所生子女的LAZ(β=0·132;95%CI0·19,0·95;P=0·004)。同样，高女性自主性是满足MAD的重要独立预测因子(AOR=1·59；CI1·09，2·34)。其中,在这项研究中衡量的女性自主性的维度，医疗保健自主性能更好地预测儿童的成长和饮食摄入。根据调查结果,提高妇女决策自主性的营养政策和干预措施可能对儿童成长结果产生积极影响.
