Anemia and its determinants among adolescent girls in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Adolescence is defined as the age range of 10–19 years and it is a transition period from childhood to adulthood. Adolescent girls are vulnerable especially to iron deficiency due to accelerated increase in requirements for iron, poor dietary intake of iron, menstrual losses, infection, norm of early marriage, and adolescent pregnancy. The aim of this study is to assess anemia status and its determinants among adolescent girls in Southern Ethiopia. This research was done in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR). Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 30/2019 to May 30/2019. A multistage sampling method was used to select a sample of 843 adolescent girls. Pre-testing of the questionnaire was done on 5% adolescent girls to ensure the reliability of the questionnaire. Finger prick blood sample was collected from all adolescent girls. Hemoglobin level was measured in finger-prick blood samples using a Hemocue photometer which was processed in the field (Hemocue R, Hb 301+ system. Data were entered in the computer using EPI-data version 4.4.2 and exported to SPSS version 21.0 for further analysis. Variables which showed association (p-value ≤ 0.25) in the bivariate logistic analysis were included in the final multivariable logistic regression model. Odds ratios for logistic regression along with 95% confidence interval were estimated. P-values less than 0.05 were declared as level of statistical significance. 820 adolescent girls were participated with a response rate of 97.3. The mean (± SD) blood hemoglobin level of the study participants was 12.23 ± 1.16 g/dL and 37% of the study participants are moderately anemic (Hg 7–12 gm/dl) and 0.2% of the study participants are severely anemic (Hg < 7 g/dL). Overall prevalence of anemia was 37.2% among adolescent girls in the study area. Family monthly income, illness with cough, and malaria in the past two weeks, skipping regular meals, and BMI-for-age are the main predictors of low blood hemoglobin level among adolescent girls in southern Ethiopia. Thus, community-based Iron folic acid supplementation and deworming tablet intervention program should be implemented to help adolescent girls who are at risk of anemia. In addition to these, malaria prevention mechanism and improving family monthly income program should be implemented.

Keywords:

• adolescent girls
• anemia and nutrition status

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Adolescent girls are vulnerable especially to iron deficiency due to accelerated increase in requirements for iron, poor dietary intake of iron, menstrual losses, infection, norm of early marriage, and adolescent pregnancy. The aim of this study is to assess anemia status and its determinants among adolescent girls in Southern Ethiopia. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 30/2019 to May 30/2019. Overall prevalence of anemia was 37.2% among adolescent girls in the study area. Family monthly income, illness with cough and malaria in the past two weeks, skipping regular meals, and BMI-for-age are the main predictors of low blood hemoglobin level among adolescent girls in southern Ethiopia. Thus, community-based iron folic acid supplementation and deworming tablet intervention program should be implemented to help adolescent girls who are at risk of anemia.

Acknowledgements

Above all, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Almighty God, who helped me to accomplish this work and provides His blessing for me throughout my life. I acknowledge the Wolaita and Hadiya zones health office leaders and experts for their valuable cooperation during data collection and I would like to extend my gratitude to all the data collectors who participated in this research and adolescent girls who were willing to participate in this study. I am also grateful to Addis Ababa and Tufts University for facilitation and support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Availability of data and materials

All relevant data are within the paper and its Supportinginformation file. English version questionnar.docx

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethical approval was obtained from Addis Ababa University,College of Natural Sciences Research Ethics Review Committee and written consent was obtained from each participants before study begin.

Additional information

Funding

Addis Ababa University center for food science and nutrition, Wolaita Sodo University and Tufts University. Funders had no role in study design and study procedure. They only provided financial support for the study.

Notes on contributors

Yoseph Halala Handiso

Yoseph Halala Handiso (PhD in community nutrition) Assistant professor in School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences and Medicine, Wolaita Sodo University, Ethiopia. Research interest areas are nutrition and food security.