Magnitude of Anemia and Undernutrition Among Primary School Children in a Setting of Mass Deworming in Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Undernutrition and anemia in children continue to be a public health problem in developing countries. Besides, intestinal parasitic infection among school children is common in developing countries. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends periodic deworming of children who live in endemic areas. The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of anemia and undernutrition among school children in a setting of mass deworming.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 510 school children aged 5–14 years from three randomly selected governmental schools in Sululta town, central Ethiopia. Socio-demographic variables were assessed using interviewer administered structured questionnaire. Anthropometric data were obtained and analyzed using WHO Anthroplusv1.0.4. Venous blood samples were collected using EDTA vacutainers. Hemoglobin level was determined by Sysmex KX-21N automated hematology analyzer and stool samples were processed using direct wet mount, formol-ether concentration and Kato-Katz methods. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association of anemia and undernutrition with the independent variables.

Results

The overall magnitude of anemia was 3.7%. Among anemic individuals, 84.2% and 15.8% of participants had mild and moderate anemia, respectively. The magnitude of stunting and thinness was 16.9% and 10.8%, respectively. Of them, 18.6% of stunting and 14.5% of thinness were severe. Of factors related to undernutrition, children from large families (≥5) were less likely to be stunted (AOR=0.38, 95% CI=0.2–0.7, P=0.002) compared to small families.

Conclusion

The magnitude of anemia in the study area was considered as an insignificant public health problem and none of the socio-demographic variables of participants were significantly associated with anemia and likewise with undernutrition except for family size. Further studies are required to clearly understand the impact of mass deworming on the magnitude of anemia and undernutrition.

Keywords:

• anemia
• undernutrition
• deworming
• school children

Data Sharing Statement

All the data-sets used or analyzed during the current study are available in the manuscript.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

Ethical clearance was obtained from Addis Ababa University, College of Health Science, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Research and Ethics Review Committee. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants and/or their legally authorized representative after they were clearly briefed and understood the objective of the study. Children aged 12-14 years were also requested to give assent and all the methods were performed in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki II Declaration.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank study participants for their willingness to take part in the study and school teachers for their support. Our sincere thanks go to Sululta district education and health bureau as well as the schools involved and their staff for their cooperation.

Disclosure

The authors declared that they have no competing interest. The manuscript was prepared from the primary author’s (Moges Wordofa) thesis which is uploaded on Addis Ababa University institutional repository and available on http://etd.aau.edu.et/bitstream/handle/123456789/12998/Moges%20Wordofa.pdf.

Additional information

Funding

This study was financially supported by Colgate University research council and Addis Ababa University, College of Health Science, department of Medical Laboratory Science. The funders have no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or prepare manuscript.