Bamboro Samuel Alemu, Boba Hape Ibren, Geberetsadik Mihiret Kitaw, Gebru Zeleke, Gutema Befikadu Tariku
School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
Teltele Woreda Health Office, Borena Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 Nov 5;4(11):e0003830. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003830. eCollection 2024.
Childhood anemia affects around half of under five children and has impacts on physical, mental, and social development, both in the short and long term. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among under-five children living in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance System Sites (HDSS). A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected under-five children with their caregivers living in Arba Minch HDSS from June to August 2023. The questionnaire was developed to assess sociodemographic, nutrition, healthcare, and environmental characteristics. Hemoglobin concentration was adjusted for altitude of the village. Anemia was defined as the hemoglobin concentration below 11 g/dL. It was further categorized as mild (between 10-10.9 g/dL), moderate (7-9.9 g/dL), and severe (less than 7 g/dL). The analysis of factors associated with anemia was assessed by using logistic regression and significance was determined at p-value <0.05. A total of 332 under-five children with a mean (SD) age of 33(15) months participated. The overall prevalence of anemia among under-five children was 35.3% (95% CI: 30.4, 40.7). The magnitude of mild, moderate, and severe anemia was 12.4% (95%CI: 9.2, 16.4), 22.1% (95%CI: 17.9, 26.9), and 0.9% (95%CI: 0.3, 2.8), respectively. Anemia had a negative association with the advancing age of the children (0.95, 95%CI: 0.93, 0.97) and improvement in the family wealth score (0.86, 95%CI: 0.75, 0.99). Nearly one-third of the under-five children were anemic and childhood anemia is a moderate public health problem in the study area. The magnitude of anemia was negatively associated with the advance in child age and with the increase in the wealth status of the household. It is important to provide due attention to reduce the magnitude of anemia specifically for the youngest children and for those children from poor households.
儿童贫血影响着约一半的五岁以下儿童，对其身体、心理和社会发展均有短期和长期的影响。本研究的目的是确定居住在阿尔巴明奇健康与人口监测系统站点（HDSS）的五岁以下儿童中贫血的患病率及其相关因素。2023年6月至8月，在阿尔巴明奇HDSS中随机选取了五岁以下儿童及其照料者，开展了一项基于社区的横断面研究。所编制的问卷用于评估社会人口学、营养、医疗保健及环境特征。根据村庄海拔对血红蛋白浓度进行了校正。贫血定义为血红蛋白浓度低于11g/dL。贫血进一步分为轻度（10 - 10.9g/dL）、中度（7 - 9.9g/dL）和重度（低于7g/dL）。采用逻辑回归分析与贫血相关的因素，p值<0.05时确定具有统计学意义。共有332名五岁以下儿童参与，平均（标准差）年龄为33（15）个月。五岁以下儿童贫血的总体患病率为35.3%（95%置信区间：30.4, 40.7）。轻度、中度和重度贫血的比例分别为12.4%（95%置信区间：9.2, 16.4）、22.1%（95%置信区间：17.9, 26.9）和0.9%（95%置信区间：0.3, 2.8）。贫血与儿童年龄增长（0.95, 95%置信区间：0.93, 0.97）以及家庭财富得分的改善（0.86, 95%置信区间：0.75, 0.99）呈负相关。近三分之一的五岁以下儿童患有贫血，儿童贫血在研究地区是一个中度公共卫生问题。贫血程度与儿童年龄增长以及家庭财富状况的改善呈负相关。尤其对于最年幼的儿童以及贫困家庭的儿童，应给予适当关注以降低贫血程度。
