The magnitude and determinants of anaemia among refugee preschool children from theKebribeyahrefugee camp, Somali region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Anaemia is a global public health problem affecting children from both industrialised and developing countries with major consequences for health, social and economic development. Although the burden of anaemia is high among refugee children due to their living conditions, its determinants are not yet clearly identified and documented in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the magnitude and contributing factors of anaemia among refugee preschool children of the Kebribeyah refugee camp. Methodology: A cross-sectional study with an analytic component was conducted in the Kebribeyah refugee camp during March 2010. A total of 399 refugee children aged between 6 and 59 months were randomly selected and assessed for anaemia status using HemoCue® devices. Results: The prevalence of anaemia was 52.4%. Most of the anaemic children, 36.6%, were classified as having moderate (Hb 7-9.9 gm/dL), followed by severe, 10.5%, (Hb < 7 gm/dL) while the remaining 5.3% had mild anaemia (Hb 10-10.9 gm/dL). The age of the child, paternal educational level, number of children younger than five years of age in the household, sharing/selling part of ration, inadequacy of ration stock, presence of diarrhoea, personal hygiene of the child, stunting and underweight were significantly associated with anaemia. Conclusion:The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that anaemia is a severe public health problem among young refugee children and to document its major predisposing factors. In the Kebribeyah refugee camp, these included inadequate food rations, insufficient micronutrient composition, lack of provision of non-food items, selling and sharing of food rations, poor environmental sanitation, poor housing conditions, lack of nutrition/health education and disease (diarrhoea). A comprehensive nutrition service together with a holistic public health-focused approach to empower refugees to prevent the onset of anaemia by engaging in homestead small-scale food production for income generation and improving the integration and collaboration between beneficiaries, food donors and humanitarian aid organisations would be crucial in addressing the consequences of anaemia in the Kebribeyah refugee camp.

Determinants of Anemia Among Children Aged 6 to 59 Months in Dilla Town, Southern Ethiopia: A Facility Based Case Control Study

“…This study has shown that more than 1 under 5 years children living in the households were independently associated with anemia among children 6 to 59 months of age. This finding is consistent with study done in Damot Sore district, Southern Ethiopia of which more than 1 under 5 children within a household 4 times more likely to be anemic as compared to household with 1 under 5 years 28 and also the finding consistent with a study done in National level of Ethiopia, 9 Debre Berhan, 32 Namutumba district, Uganda, 33 Kebri Beyah Refugee Camp, Somali Region, Ethiopia 34 and study done using EDHS data in Ethiopia. 35 It is implied that the prevalence of anemia among children aged between 6 and 59 months in Ethiopia was higher in the households with more number of children under 5 relative to households with lower number of children under 5, and under 5 children living in households with many siblings of same age category in a low-income setting were subjected to increased competition for resources which results in major child health constraints such as stunting and nutritional deficiencies.…”

“…This result is consistent with study done in Ethiopia Demographic Health Survey (EDHS 2016), 4 Western Kenya, 45 Damot Sore district, Southern Ethiopia, 28 Debre Berhan 32 and Kebri Beyah Refugee Camp, Somali Region, Ethiopia. 34 The association of stunting and anemia in children might be due to the households’ food insecurity problems and unstrengthened child health caring capacity both at heath institutions and at household level.…”

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and predictors of anemia among children in Ethiopia

“…The authors did comprehensively review and meta-analyze the predictors of anemia among the study subjects using nineteen meta-analyzable studies 21 , 23 – 28 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 40 – 43 , 45 – 47 , 49 , 50 from the relevant articles included in the current study. Sex of the children, family educational status, family occupation, family income, residence and helminthic infection were found to be worth reviewing and meta-analyzable.…”

Individual and community level factors associated with anemia among children 6—59 months of age in Ethiopia: A further analysis of 2016 Ethiopia demographic and health survey

“…In Ethiopia, previous studies have linked anemia to factors such as child age, child nutritional status, parents' educational level, and wealth index [11][12][13][14][15]. However, almost all studies used single-level analysis techniques with population groups localized in a specific study area [11,12,14,15]. The Single-level analysis assumes that there is no community effect beyond the characteristics of individuals [16].…”