Social and Population Health Unit, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Department of Human Nutrition, Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
PLoS One. 2018 Oct 11;13(10):e0205381. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205381. eCollection 2018.
Adolescent girls have a higher risk of anemia due to an increased requirement, low intake of hematopoietic nutrients and low intake of a nutrient that enhance absorption of these hematopoietic nutrients. Adolescent girls living in refugee camps are more vulnerable to anemia. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls aged 10-19 years in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somalia regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.
A cross-sectional study design was employed. Study participants were recruited using a simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Hemoglobin level was tested using HemoCueHb 301 from 10μl finger prick blood samples. Adolescents with a hemoglobin level of <12.5gm/dl after altitude adjustment were classified as anemic. Data were entered using Epi Info version 7.0 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the association of independent variables with anemia. Variables having P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
Four hundred thirty-seven adolescent girls participated in the study with a response rate of 95.83%. The prevalence of anemia was 22% (95% CI (17.6, 26.1)). Late adolescents were 2 times more likely to have anemia as compared to early adolescents (AOR: 1.95, 95% CI (1.09, 3.47). Those who stayed ≥8 years in the camp were 3 times more likely to develop anemia (AOR: 2.92, 95% CI (1.14, 7.50)). Those who ate heme iron food sources less than one time per month were 11 times more likely to develop anemia compared to those who ate more than twice within a week (AOR: 11.42, 95% CI (3.42, 38.18)).
The prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls was a moderate public health problem. Education and awareness on adolescent nutrition with special attention of late adolescents and duration in the refugee camps is warranted. Moreover, promoting the intake of foods rich in heme iron is suggested.
由于需求量增加、造血营养素摄入不足以及摄入促进这些造血营养素吸收的营养素不足，少女患贫血的风险更高。居住在难民营的少女更容易贫血。本研究旨在确定埃塞俄比亚东南部索马里州 Aw-Barre 难民营 10-19 岁少女贫血的患病率及其相关因素。
采用横断面研究设计。研究对象采用简单随机抽样技术招募。使用结构化问卷收集数据。使用 HemoCueHb 301 从 10μl 指尖采血样本中检测血红蛋白水平。经海拔调整后血红蛋白水平<12.5gm/dl 的青少年被归类为贫血。数据使用 Epi Info 版本 7.0 录入，使用 SPSS 版本 20.0 进行分析。使用二元逻辑回归探讨自变量与贫血的相关性。P 值≤0.05 的变量被认为具有统计学意义。
共有 437 名少女参加了研究，应答率为 95.83%。贫血患病率为 22%（95%CI（17.6，26.1））。与早期青少年相比，晚期青少年患贫血的可能性高 2 倍（AOR：1.95，95%CI（1.09，3.47））。在难民营中居住≥8 年的人患贫血的可能性高 3 倍（AOR：2.92，95%CI（1.14，7.50））。与每周食用血红素铁食物来源超过两次的人相比，每月食用少于一次的人患贫血的可能性高 11 倍（AOR：11.42，95%CI（3.42，38.18））。
少女贫血患病率为中度公共卫生问题。需要对青少年营养进行教育和提高认识，特别关注晚期青少年和难民在难民营中的停留时间。此外，建议促进摄入富含血红素铁的食物。
