Abstract
BackgroundAnemia is a public health problem affecting both developed and developing countries. Childhood anemia is associated with serious consequences including growth retardation, impaired motor and cognitive development, and increased morbidity and mortality. Hence, this study aimed at assessing the prevalence and factors associated with severity of anemia among children aged 6–59 months in Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia.MethodA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select study participants. Socio demographic and socioeconomic data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were taken as per WHO recommendation. Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration was measured using a portable HemoCue301 instrument (A Quest Diagnostic Company, Sweden). Mild anemia corresponds to a level of adjusted Hb of 10.0–10.9 g/dl; moderate anemia corresponds to a level of 7.0–9.9 g/dl, while severe anemia corresponds to a level less than 7.0 g/dl. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study participants. Both bivariable and multivariable ordinal logistic regression were done, and proportional odds ratio (POR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was reported to show the strength of association. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultOut of the total of 707 children included in this study, more than half (53.5%) of them were male. The median age of children was 30 months. Two hundred two (28.6%) of children were anemic: 124(17.5%) were mildly anemic, 73(10.3%) were moderately anemic, and 5 (0.7%) were severely anemic. The young age of the child, low frequency of child complementary feeding per day, primary maternal educational status, unmarried maternal marital status, and home delivery were factors associated with severity of childhood anemia.ConclusionAnemia among children aged 6–59 months in Gondar Town was a moderate public health problem. Improving access to education, providing regular health education about childcare and child feeding practices, strengthening the socioeconomic support for single-parent families and conducting regular community-based screening are recommended to reduce childhood anemia.
Highlights
Anemia is a public health problem affecting both developed and developing countries
According to the 2011 World Health Organization (WHO) report, anemia resulting from iron deficiency was one of the most important factors contributing to the global burden of diseases, and it increases morbidity and mortality in preschool-aged children and pregnant women [2]
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with severity of anemia among children aged 6– 59 months in Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia
Summary
Anemia is a public health problem affecting both developed and developing countries. Childhood anemia is associated with serious consequences including growth retardation, impaired motor and cognitive development, and increased morbidity and mortality. Anemia, defined as a low blood hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, is one of the most common and widespread disorders in the world, affecting one-quarter of the world’s population. It is a major public health problem in several countries, common among preschool-aged children and women [1]. According to the 2011 World Health Organization (WHO) report, anemia resulting from iron deficiency was one of the most important factors contributing to the global burden of diseases, and it increases morbidity and mortality in preschool-aged children and pregnant women [2]. Anemia is a major public health problem among preschool-aged children in Ethiopia [4]
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