Anemia frequency in children living at Andean high altitude in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia

Santiago Moisés Garrido-Salazar,Gina Vivas-Armas,David Israel Garrido-Salazar

doi:10.18233/apm40no6pp305-3171929

Santiago Moisés Garrido-Salazar, Gina Vivas-Armas

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.18233/apm40no6pp305-3171929

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To establish the frequency of anemia among children living in the Andean region of Ecuador, Perú, and Bolivia.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A transversal descriptive study based on the risk association of anemia in children between 6 and 59 months living in the Andean region, through a secondary source published by institutions of health from Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.RESULTS: A total of 155,007 children were included; 65,161 living in the Andean region. Anemia was observed in 46.69 to 60.59% in the Andes of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Opposing, in low-lying regions varied from 33.96 to 43.37%. Anemia was more prevalent in the high altitude, regarding to severe anemia, the risk association was significant in Andean Region of Ecuador during 2013 (OR:4.98; p<0.01) and 2014 (OR:5.32; p<0.01), Bolivia (OR:4.65; p<0.01), and Peru (OR:1.78; p<0.01).CONCLUSIONS: A higher frequency of anemia was evident in children residing in the Andean region of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. However, although a significant risk association was demonstrated, this could be a multifactorial phenomenon that requires more detailed investigation.

Highlights

Anemia a widespread and highly prevalent disease mainly affects children under 5 years of age as well as pregnant women, mostly in the developing or low-income countries
A higher frequency of anemia was evident in children residing in the Andean region of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
A transversal descriptive study was conducted in May 2018, in Quito, Ecuador, based on the association of prevalence rates of anemia in high altitude (HA) (Andes) compared with those of the low lying regions (Coastal, Amazon and Galapagos) in children between the ages of 6 and 59 months, through a secondary source published by the national authorities of health and statistics from Ecuador (Ministry of Public Health), Peru (National Institute of Statistics and Informatics), and Bolivia (National Institute of Statistics along with the Ministry of Health)

Summary

Introduction

Anemia a widespread and highly prevalent disease mainly affects children under 5 years of age as well as pregnant women, mostly in the developing or low-income countries. The advice given by WHO in terms of hemoglobin correction to people living in high altitudes remains current.[12]

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