Anemia in Mexican students

Abstract

The objective of the study was to describe the prevalence and distribution of anemia in Mexican students from Elementary and Secondary Public Schools. Information was gathered from 55,034 students from the National Student Health Survey, 2008 (ENSE, 2008). A portable photometer was used to determine hemoglobin concentration by the capillary puncture method. The cut values used to classify anemia are those designated by WHO. Results showed that female students aged 12 years and over, had lower concentrations of hemoglobin (14.00 ± 1.50 in comparison with male students 14.21 ± 1.54 mg/dL; P <0.001). However, male students aged 12 years and over, had a higher prevalence of anemia (20.99 vs.11.72%; P<0.001), than female students. Once disaggregated by educational level, elementary school students showed a higher prevalence of anemia, than secondary school students (21.2 vs.14.4%; P<0.001). In a logistic regression model, the highest risk of anemia was associated with being a man (OR 1.26, CI95% 1.17, 1.36) and belong to secondary school (OR 1.15, CI95% 1.01, 1.30) and the probability of having anemia decreases as age increases (OR 0.87, CI95% 0.86, 0.89). Prevalence of anemia is still of high magnitude in Mexican students, so big efforts have to be done to undertake measures for prevention and control.Supported by the Rio Aronte Foundation, and Fondo de Apoyo al Programa Intersectorial de Educacion Saludable.