Magnitude of Anemia and Hematological Predictors among Children under 12 Years in Odisha, India

Abstract

Background. Anemia is a wide spread public health problem in India which affects children. The present study evaluates the prevalence of anemia and status of various hematological parameters among children of Khurda district, Odisha. Method. A total of 313 children aged 0–12 years were enrolled for the study which included preschool (0–5 years) and school aged (6–12 years) groups. Hematological indicators were measured by standard procedures, which include red blood cell (RBC) indicators, white blood cell (WBC) indicators, and plasma ferritin. Results. Mean hemoglobin (Hb) of the study population was 10.43 ± 3.33 g/dL and prevalence of anemia was 62%. In this population, boys had a lower mean Hb value than that of the girls. All grades of anemia were higher among school age children than preschool children. Mean plasma ferritin was found to be higher in school age boys than their counterpart girls. The mean level of WBC count was found to be higher among preschool age boys than among the school age boys (p = 0.025). Conclusion. The prevalence of anemia was higher with concomitant acute infection among study population, which is a matter of concern. Since the hematological parameters are interrelated with each other as well as with the age and gender, relevant intervention strategy and constant monitoring are needed while providing public health nutrition programs to eradicate anemia.

Temporal trends and differential patterns in the prevalence of severe anaemia in India: observations from country‐wide haemoglobin determinations 2008–2018

“…school‐aged children and elderly) were included. Sporadic studies have indicated that severe anaemia may be quite prevalent in such underrepresented vulnerable groups (~18% in school children aged 6 to 12 years from Odisha, ~15% in community‐dwelling elderly > 60 years from Assam) .…”

A Study of Distribution and Prevalence of Anaemia in School Going Children of Ghaziabad

“…[16] Behera et al have documented prevalence of anaemia in 62 % kids in their study population in Orissa. [17] Anaemia affects the physical and mental development of children leading to decreased work capacity which in turn affects the development of the country. [7] Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anaemia.…”

Recognizing missed opportunities to diagnose and treat iron deficiency anemia: A study based on prevalence of anemia among children in a teaching hospital

“…Prevalence of anemia has been reported to variously between 55% and 72%. [456789] In addition, most of the studies are limited to the infancy age group. [567] Prompted by this seemingly high prevalence of anemia among children under 5 years of age admitted to hospital for various reasons, combined with the fact that currently there is limited information on the prevalence and patterns of anemia among children, especially beyond infancy in Eastern India, we conducted this current hospital-based study to have a better understanding of the actual burden.…”