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Paediatric anaemia prevalence trends in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: a 20-year analysis by income level
Reem Eltayeb1,2, Naif K Binsaleh1,2, Husam Qanash1,2
1Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Science, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Childhood anaemia in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) decreased between 2000-2019, but remains a public health concern. National income correlates with anaemia prevalence, yet other factors are also significant.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Global Health
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Anaemia is a critical global health issue, particularly affecting child development in low-income nations.
- The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) faces a high burden of childhood anaemia, with limited income-stratified trend analyses.
- This study examines anaemia trends in children (6-59 months) across 21 EMR countries from 2000-2019, linking them to national income.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate trends in anaemia prevalence among young children in the EMR.
- To analyze the correlation between national income levels and anaemia prevalence changes.
- To identify factors beyond income influencing anaemia reduction in the region.
Main Methods:
- Utilized World Health Organization (WHO) data on anaemia prevalence in children aged 6-59 months (2000-2019).
- Incorporated World Bank national income classifications for 21 EMR countries.
- Employed statistical analyses (SPSS, Excel, GraphPad Prism) to assess associations between anaemia and income.
Main Results:
- Overall anaemia prevalence in EMR children declined from 40.56% (2000) to 34.25% (2019).
- The number of countries with >40% prevalence decreased slightly; Oman, Yemen, and Sudan showed high rates.
- Anaemia prevalence significantly correlated with national income (P<0.001), but outliers indicate income is not the sole determinant.
Conclusions:
- Childhood anaemia prevalence significantly decreased in the EMR between 2000-2019.
- Disparities persist between low- and high-income countries, highlighting that income alone doesn't explain trends.
- Plateauing reduction rates post-2015 underscore the need for innovative health programs to further minimize anaemia.
Background:
Anaemia is a significant global public health issue, especially in low-income countries, where it influences children's mental and physical development. Anaemia is a common public health problem in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), although long-term, income-stratified analyses at the regional level are scarce. This study investigated trends in anaemia prevalence among children aged 6-59 months from 21 countries in the EMR between 2000 and 2019, correlating differences in these trends with each country's national income.
Methods:
We analysed data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the prevalence of anaemia in children aged 6-59 months between 2000 and 2019 in 21 EMR countries at five-year intervals. Data on national income classifications were taken from the World Bank. The data were subject to statistical analysis using SPSS, Excel and GraphPad Prism to determine the associations between anaemia prevalence and income groups.
Results:
The average anaemia prevalence among children in the EMR decreased from 40.56% in 2000 to 34.25% in 2019 - an absolute change of -6.3%. The number of countries with a prevalence above 40% fell from seven in 2000 to six in 2019. Oman, Yemen and Sudan had some of the highest prevalences, and the UAE witnessed a slight increase, despite being a high-income country. Anaemia prevalence was significantly associated with national income (P < 0.001), but outliers suggest that income alone does not fully explain the observed trends. In 2019, the prevalence of anaemia in the EMR remained greater than the global average.
Conclusions:
Between 2000 and 2019, the prevalence of anaemia in children aged 6-59 months decreased significantly in the EMR. Despite this progress, there are still disparities between the prevalence of anaemia in low-income and high-income countries. Therefore, income is not the only factor associated with declines in anaemia prevalence. The fact that reduction rates plateaued after 2015 reinforces the significance of implementing new, innovative health programmes to minimise anaemia.
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