Prevalence of Anaemia in the General Population

Abstract

ANAEMIA BRITISH ----9~~~~~~~~~~~~~M EDICAL JOURNAL had died), and these were all reassessed. In 61 (32%) the haemoglobin level was below 80%. Hypochromic anaemias, of the non-specific variety, accounted for 55 (50 in females). The reasons for these relapses were generally failure to continue with iron therapy.As a result of this study it is recommended that full facilities for investigations be given to all family doctors in at least one hospital in each local hospital group; that more teaching be given to undergraduates and postgraduates (in general practice) on the frequency of anaemia and on the principles of successful management; and that the importance of the long-term treatment and follow-up of the particularly vulnerable group of women in their later reproductive phase (that is, 30-50) is appreciated. It is quite useless to treat those women by a prescription for 100 iron tablets and then to forget all about them. Treatment, with regular blood tests, is necessary right up to and well past the menopause.My thanks are due to Dr. John Keall, Mr. E. J. Maddox, and others at the pathological laboratory at Beckenham Hospital for their kind co-operation.

Some epidemiological problems of iron deficiency anaemia

“…Iron deficiency anaemia, as conventionally defined in clinical practice, for example the criteria in W H O (1959), has been shown to be common in this country in women of all ages (Kilpatrick, 1961), and in the elderly o f both sexes (Kilpatrick & Hardisty, 1961; Parsons, Withey & Kilpatrick, 1965). However the evidence presented in these and many other similar studies is based simply on the proportion of persons found to have levels of circulating haemoglobin below 'the lower limit of the normal range' and this point in the distribution of haelnoglobin levels is usually chosen in an arbitrary manner.…”

Anaemia in Patients in a Psychiatric Hospital

“…Discussion The prevalance of anaemia in the long term patients in this psychiatric hospital was 11 % which is a rate higher than that of around 8% found by Fry (1961) in a practice in South London, and lower than the 15% found by Kilpatrick (1961) in a rural population in Wensleydale. Thus frequency of expectation of anaemia in a psychiatric hospital long-term population can be no less than in the general population, in spite of an environment of whole time medical and nursing care and attention.…”

“…These figures again compare with the incidence of anaemia in the general population (Kilpatrick, 1961). In this group too the incidence of anaemia in the elderly was signifi cantly greater than the incidence in the elderly outside hospital (1958).…”

Hemoglobin Patterns in Low-Income Families

“…per 100 ml. is below optimum even for younger subjects (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17), the excessive frequency of readings below this level seems noteworthy in an area where higher standards ordinarily are applied.…”