Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Matern Child Nutr. 2021 Oct;17(4):e13181. doi: 10.1111/mcn.13181. Epub 2021 Mar 29.
Little evidence exists concerning perceptions of anaemia in Ghanaian communities, which limits understanding of how to potentially improve health in settings with high anaemia prevalence. We explored lay perceptions of anaemia to understand local knowledge and beliefs and to provide an opportunity to inform interventions. A cross-sectional, qualitative study was conducted in selected communities in three regions of Ghana with high prevalence of anaemia. Forty-eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with adolescent girls, adult women of reproductive age and adult men (16 FGDs for each demographic group). Participants across the three demographic groups generally described anaemia as inadequate blood in the body and reported that poor diet, heat, alcohol intake, physiological factors and diseases such as malaria were the main causes of anaemia. Consequences of anaemia mentioned in the FGDs included dizziness, weight loss, loss of appetite and weakness. Prevention of anaemia was perceived to result from improved diet, avoidance of exposure to heat and improved sanitation to avoid diseases. The findings suggest that despite areas of convergence between lay and biomedical knowledge on the causes, consequences and prevention of anaemia, the burden of anaemia remains high in the study regions. This highlights a disconnect between local knowledge of anaemia and the health and nutrition behaviours needed to reduce its incidence. Effective interventions can be developed with and for communities that build upon existing knowledge while filling remaining knowledge gaps or misconceptions.
关于加纳社区对贫血的认知，目前几乎没有任何证据，这限制了人们对如何在贫血高发环境中改善健康的理解。我们探讨了公众对贫血的认知，以了解当地的知识和信念，并为干预措施提供信息。本研究在加纳三个贫血高发地区的选定社区进行了一项横断面、定性研究。共进行了 48 次焦点小组讨论（FGD），参与者分别为青春期女孩、育龄成年女性和成年男性（每个年龄组各有 16 次 FGD）。三个年龄组的参与者普遍将贫血描述为体内血液不足，并报告说不良饮食、炎热、饮酒、生理因素和疟疾等疾病是贫血的主要原因。FGD 中提到的贫血的后果包括头晕、体重减轻、食欲不振和虚弱。预防贫血被认为可以通过改善饮食、避免暴露在高温下以及改善卫生条件来预防疾病。研究结果表明，尽管在贫血的病因、后果和预防方面，大众知识和生物医学知识存在一些相似之处，但在研究地区贫血的负担仍然很高。这凸显了当地对贫血的认识与减少贫血发病率所需的健康和营养行为之间存在脱节。可以与社区合作制定有效的干预措施，这些措施可以在利用现有知识的基础上，填补知识空白或纠正误解。
