[Characterization of anemia in children under five years of age from urban areas of Huancavelica and Ucayali, Peru].

OBJECTIVES

Characterize anemia in children aged between 12 and 59 months from urban areas in the provinces of Coronel Portillo and Huancavelica in Peru.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Cross-sectional study carried out in two stages: a) population-based study to identify children with anemia using multistage probability sampling, and b) characterization of the serum levels of ferritin, vitamin B12, intraerythrocytic folic acid and presence of parasitosis in children with anemia. For the statistical analysis, expansion factors calculated from the sampling plan were applied.

RESULTS

The prevalence of anemia was 55.9% in Huancavelica and 36.2% in Coronel Portillo. In Huancavelica, the coexistence of anemia with iron deficiency was 22.8% and anemia with vitamin B12 deficiency was 11%. In Coronel Portillo, the coexistence of anemia with iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency was 15.2% and 29.7%, respectively. The most common types of anemia in Huancavelica were anemia with concurrent parasitosis (50.9%), iron deficiency anemia and parasitosis (12.3%), and iron deficiency alone (6.4%). In Coronel Portillo, it was anemia and parasitosis (54.4%), vitamin B12 deficiency and parasitosis (18.4%), and iron deficiency anemia and parasitosis (6.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of anemia is higher than the national average, with anemia concurrent with parasitosis and anemia concurrent with two or more causes as the most common type. Consideration should be given to different causes other than iron deficiency in the programs of anemia contol for Peruvian children.