Abstract
BackgroundAnemia continues to be a major public health problem in India despite multiple initiatives to address it among various vulnerable groups including adolescents.AimThis study was conducted to assess the prevalence of anemia among rural adolescent girls who had attained menarche.MethodsThe community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 28 villages of Ballabgarh Block of district Faridabad, Haryana. From the computerized Health Management Information System data (HMIS), a random list of 363 adolescent girls was generated. Adolescent girls who had attained menarche were included in the study. Hemoglobin level was measured for all the consented or assented participants using a digital hemoglobinometer (HemoCue201+ photometer, HemoCue AB, Angelholm, Sweden).ResultsA total of 272 participants were enrolled in the study. Mean (SD) age at menarche was 13.2 (1.2) years. Prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls who had attained menarche was observed to be 71.7% (95% CI: 66.3 - 77.1) as per the WHO classification. Among the 195 anemic adolescent girls, severe, moderate, and mild anemia was observed in 4.8%, 41.2%, and 25.7%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, after adjusting for the age, the mother’s education was significantly associated with anemia (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22 - 0.96, p-value = 0.04).ConclusionThe prevalence of anemia among rural adolescent girls who had attained menarche was high. Mother’s education status had a protective effect on anemia among adolescent girls.
Highlights
There are 253 million adolescents in India, and 72% of them reside in rural areas [1]
This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of anemia among rural adolescent girls who had attained menarche
Prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls who had attained menarche was observed to be 71.7% as per the World Health Organization (WHO) classification
Summary
There are 253 million adolescents in India, and 72% of them reside in rural areas [1]. Anemia is a serious public health challenge in India, even among adolescents [2]. The adolescence period especially in girls is vulnerable to anemia due to the increased demand during the period of a growth spurt, inadequate dietary intake, vulnerability for helminthic infestation, and increased loss of iron during menstruation. The nutritional concerns of adolescent girls, including anemia, are addressed by several flagship schemes and programs of the Government of India. These include the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)-SABLA, and more. Anemia continues to be a major public health problem in India despite multiple initiatives to address it among various vulnerable groups including adolescents
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