anemia as public health problem among child under five years age

Abstract

Anemia has a serious consequences effects on child growth, development, and survival. Ana-lytical, cross-sectional, non-probability co nvenient study done with sampling of 240 children aged less than five years (6-60 months) which was conducted in five primary health care cen-ters in Al-Resafa sector and two pediatric hospitals in Baghdad city (Central child hospital and Ibn Al-Baldi hospital). The study started from 1st March till 31 of August 2017. The data was collected by direct interview with parent using special questionnaire to obtain infor-mation. The results of the study revealed that the age of child is known to be a important and a significant factor associated with anemia 38.3% of the anemic child were at 13-24 months age, 56.3% were male, 60.9% mother age were ≥ 20, 35.8% of mother had primary degree of education, 77.5% of them were unemployed, 68.7% had anemia during pregnancy, 45.8% of family income of anemic child were intermediate, 64.2% of family drinking un-treated water, 59.6% had pad sewage system, 73.7% of them sometime eating meat and egg. The study showed no significant differences between anemia in children and anthropometric measures. Other results showed that 69.5% of child had continuous breast feeding, 81.7% had no history of cow milk consumption, 40.8% given complementary feeding at age of > 4 months, 74.2% had no history of consumption of fortified milk. Regarding causes of anemia iron deficiency was the major causes in 67.9% of child under five years age.