Screening for anaemia: evaluation of a haemoglobinometer

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Hematology
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Anemia is a significant public health concern in young children.
• Routine immunisation clinics provide an opportunity for child health screening.
• Accurate and accessible hemoglobin measurement tools are needed for early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the HemoCue haemoglobinometer for anemia screening in children aged 11-36 months.
• To assess the device's reliability and suitability for community child health settings.

Main Methods:

• Paired capillary blood samples were collected from children aged 11-36 months.
• Blood samples were measured using the HemoCue haemoglobinometer and a Coulter counter model S.
• Comparison of measurement precision based on blood collection method (bottle vs. single drop).

Main Results:

• The HemoCue haemoglobinometer demonstrated high sensitivity (0.85) and specificity (0.94) for anemia detection after bias compensation.
• Measurements from bottle-collected capillary samples were more precise than those from single blood drops.
• The device was found to be reliable and simple to use with minimal training.

Conclusions:

• The HemoCue haemoglobinometer is a suitable and reliable tool for community-based anemia screening in young children.
• Careful attention to blood collection methods, specifically using bottle-collected samples, is crucial for accurate results.
• The device can be effectively integrated into routine immunisation clinic workflows.