Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Anemia among University Students in Hodeida Province, Yemen

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Abstract

Background. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is one of the most common types of nutritional anemia in the worldwide and considered a major public health problem in developing countries especially in Yemen. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of IDA among apparently healthy Yemeni students at Hodeida University. Method. Five hundred blood samples (326 males and 174 females) were collected randomly from medical students at Hodeida University. Participants were subjected to different tests including complete blood counts (CBC), serum ferritin (SF), serum iron (SI), and total iron binding capacity (TIBC). Moreover, a questionnaire was designed to collect demographics, food and drink habits, and socioeconomic status. Result. The overall prevalence of IDA was 30.4% ( n = 152 ) , of whom 54.00% were females ( n = 82 ) and 46.0% were males ( n = 70 ) . Students aged 20–22 years were found more anemic with prevalence 59.2% than students aged 17–19 years (25.0%) and 23–25 years (15.8%). Statistical analysis showed regularly having breakfast had significant (p < 0.001) role in preventing development of IDA compared with irregularly having breakfast. Infrequent consumption of vegetables/fruits; meat, fish, chicken; tea drinking; low household income; smoking and khat (Catha edulis) chewing showed a significant role (p < 0.001) in provoking of IDA, whereas consumption of coffee and cola showed insignificant influence ( p = 0.585 ; p = 0.513 ) on IDA. Conclusion. This study revealed that the majority of university students, especially females, have IDA that might become worse by malnutrition, lifestyle habits, and lack of awareness. Our results suggest that IDA can be prevented by providing proper knowledge on the healthful diet, improved lifestyle, and harmful effect of IDA to the students.

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Iron deficiency: global prevalence and consequences.

Rebecca Stoltzfus (2003)

Iron deficiency is considered to be one of most prevalent forms of malnutrition, yet there has been a lack of consensus about the nature and magnitude of the health consequences of iron deficiency in populations. This paper presents new estimates of the public health importance of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA), which were made as part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2000 project. Iron deficiency is considered to contribute to death and disability as a risk factor for maternal and perinatal mortality, and also through its direct contributions to cognitive impairment, decreased work productivity, and death from severe anemia. Based on meta-analysis of observational studies, mortality risk estimates for maternal and perinatal mortality are calculated as the decreased risk in mortality for each 1 g/dl increase in mean pregnancy hemoglobin concentration. On average, globally, 50% of the anemia is assumed to be attributable to iron deficiency. Globally, iron deficiency ranks number 9 among 26 risk factors included in the GBD 2000, and accounts for 841,000 deaths and 35,057,000 disability-adjusted life years lost. Africa and parts of Asia bear 71% of the global mortality burden and 65% of the disability-adjusted life years lost, whereas North America bears 1.4% of the global burden. There is an urgent need to develop effective and sustainable interventions to control iron-deficiency anemia. This will likely not be achieved without substantial involvement of the private sector.