Sociocultural factors that influence neonatal metabolic screening coverage in an Ecuadorian population

Abstract

Neonatal metabolic screening is a key strategy for the early detection of metabolic and genetic disorders, which impact childhood morbidity and mortality. The objective was to evaluate the influence of sociocultural factors on neonatal metabolic screening coverage in an Ecuadorian population. This was an observational, descriptive, correlational, retrospective, and cross-sectional study. The population consisted of mothers with live births attending the Río Chico and Los Arenales health facilities in Manabí, Ecuador, from January to December 2023. The sample consisted of 200 women, 100 from each facility. The results showed that sociocultural factors such as age, academic level, occupation, family structure, and accessibility to health services influence screening coverage. The results highlight the urgent need to improve equitable access to this screening, especially in rural areas. It is concluded that sociocultural factors are closely related to participation in neonatal metabolic screening, highlighting the need to implement culturally and geographically tailored strategies to ensure equitable and universal coverage in the early detection of metabolic diseases in newborns, especially in rural areas.