A multi-centric study to estimate prevalence of anaemia in apparently healthy children between 6 and 59 months of age.

BACKGROUND

Prevalence of anaemia is 67% in children between 6 and 59 months of age. There is a discrepancy in prevalence of anaemia in view of various cutoffs and capillary versus venous sampling. Prevalence studies at various levels are mandated for planning and implementation of policies to control anaemia.

METHODS

This cross-sectional observational hospital-based multi-centric study enrolled apparently healthy eligible children aged between 6 and 59 months from Armed Forces Medical Services hospitals and estimated the prevalence of anaemia in "venous blood samples". Demographic and anthropometric details and a questionnaire-based survey to study individual and community-related risk factors associated with anaemia were noted.

RESULTS

A total of 10,814 children from 20 hospitals were eligible. A total of 2231 children (56.9% male) were analyzed. The prevalence of anaemia was 49.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 47.3-51.5) as defined by the World Health Organization (mild: 24.1%, moderate: 23.5%, and severe: 1.8%) and 19.6% (95%CI:18-21.3) as per the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey. Majority of anaemia was microcytic (67.2%). Presumptive iron-deficiency anaemia was seen in 55.7%. In binary logistic regression analysis, age<24 months, inadequacy of nutrition and poor maternal education were the associated risk factors in all children with anaemia, while not giving exclusive breast feed till 6 months was an additional risk factor in children with moderate to severe anaemia.

CONCLUSIONS

We report a high prevalence (49.4%) of anaemia in children aged between 6 and 59 months, with predominantly lower-middle socioeconomic status. Individual factors such as age<24 months, inadequate nutrition, and community-related risk factors such as poor maternal education and not giving exclusive breast feed for 6 months were associated with anaemia in our cohort.