Abstract
Approximately half of adolescent girls living in Sub-Saharan Africa are anemic. Anaemia is associated with lower physical work capacity, impaired cognitive functioning and lower school achievement among adolescents. This study was done to determine factors associated with the prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls aged 14-18 years old within Yala division, Siaya District, Kenya. A mixed method multistage sampling was used to select 230 female students. Blood and stool samples were analysed for anaemia, malaria and worm infestation respectively. Questionnaires were used to assess intake of dietary iron. Results showed 26.5% , 41.3%, 7.4% prevalence anaemia (Hb <12.0 g/dl), malaria and ova of ascaris respectively. Factors that were significantly(P≤0.05) associated with anaemia were: the respondent’s age (OR 3.38 ), educational status of the fathers’, primary (OR=0.313) post-secondary (OR=0.343) inadequate daily dietary iron intake (OR=8.87), presence of malaria parasites (OR=3.68) and ova of ascaris (OR=11.94). The study concluded that anaemia is a public health problem among adolescents in this area. Interventions and strategies aimed at addressing effectively anemia in this population should therefore be targeted at the associated factors including parents especially fathers who should provide more bio available iron for the respondents in the diet.
Highlights
Anaemia continues to be a major health problem worldwide [1]
It is estimated that 9 out of 10 anaemia sufferers live in developing countries [7], at the same time, about half of adolescent girls living in sub-Saharan Africa are anaemic [8]
The study was conducted among 230 secondary school adolescent girls in Yala Division of Siaya District aged between 14 and 18 years
Summary
World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) estimates that approximately 1.3 to 2.2 billion people (more than 30% of the world’s population) are suffering from anaemia [2], United Nations, 1990 [3], World Health Organization, 1992 [4], WHO 2003 [5]. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 anaemia sufferers live in developing countries [7], at the same time, about half of adolescent girls living in sub-Saharan Africa are anaemic [8]. The same document reports that the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) documents higher rates of anaemia among adolescents in India (55 percent), Nepal (42 percent), Cameroon (32 percent) and Guatemala (48 percent). According to Leenstra [10], prevalence of iron deficiency (serum ferritin
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