Anemia as public health problem among child under five years age

Abstract

Anemia has a serious consequences effects on child growth, development, and survival. Analytical, cross-sectional, non-probability co nvenient study done with sampling of 240 children aged less than five years (6-60 months) which was conducted in five primary health care centers in Al-Resafa sector and two pediatric hospitals in Baghdad city (Central child hospital and Ibn Al-Baldi hospital). The study started from 1st March till 31 of August 2017. The data was collected by direct interview with parent using special questionnaire to obtain information. The results of the study revealed that the age of child is known to be a important and a significant factor associated with anemia 38.3% of the anemic child were at 13-24 months age, 56.3% were male, 60.9% mother age were ≥ 20, 35.8% of mother had primary degree of education, 77.5% of them were unemployed, 68.7% had anemia during pregnancy, 45.8% of family income of anemic child were intermediate, 64.2% of family drinking untreated water, 59.6% had pad sewage system, 73.7% of them sometime eating meat and egg. The study showed no significant differences between anemia in children and anthropometric measures. Other results showed that 69.5% of child had continuous breast feeding, 81.7% had no history of cow milk consumption, 40.8% given complementary feeding at age of > 4 months, 74.2% had no history of consumption of fortified milk. Regarding causes of anemia iron deficiency was the major causes in 67.9% of child under five years age