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Pediatric anemia in rural Ghana: a cross-sectional study of prevalence and risk factors

Kelley M VanBuskirk1, Anthony Ofosu2, Amy Kennedy3

  • 1Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Ghana Health Service, Accra, GhanaSchool of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USADepartments of Pediatrics and Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
|April 15, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Anemia affects over 70% of young children in rural Ghana. Malaria and male sex are key risk factors, highlighting the need for malaria control to reduce childhood anemia.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health
  • Tropical Medicine

Background:

  • Childhood anemia is a significant public health concern in many low-income regions.
  • Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for anemia in young children is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of anemia in children under three years old in a rural Ghanaian setting.
  • To identify factors associated with anemia and its severity in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional survey of 861 children under three years old attending immunization services.
  • Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed.
  • Hemoglobin levels, malaria parasitemia, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase status, and anthropometric measurements were assessed.

Main Results:

  • A high prevalence of anemia (73.1%) was observed, with most cases being mild or moderate.
  • Malaria parasitemia and male sex were identified as significant risk factors for anemia.
  • Younger age, malaria parasitemia, and male sex were associated with increased anemia severity; partial glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency was linked to decreased severity.
  • Height-for-age, but not weight-for-age, correlated with anemia and its severity.

Conclusions:

  • Malaria parasitemia is strongly linked to anemia and its severity in rural Ghanaian children.
  • Malaria control strategies may be the most effective approach to reduce the burden of anemia in this population.
  • Addressing nutritional status, particularly linear growth, is also important in managing childhood anemia.
Abstract

Keywords:
Ghanaanemiachildrenhemoglobinhemoglobinopathymalaria

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