Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Background: Anemia is a major public health problem affecting 305 million school-agedchildren globally. Anemia impairs physical growth, cognitive development and school
performance of children. Determining the burden of anemia and identifying risk factors
associated with the development of anemia in specific contexts can help to prevent its negative
consequences.
Objective: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of anemia among school-age children
attending public primary schools in Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia.
Methods: A School-based cross sectional study was conducted from February, 2017 to May,
2017 in Gondar town. A total of 523 school-age-children between 6-14 years old were included
in the study. Mutistage systematic random sampling technique was employed to select students.
Data on socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics, nutritional and dietary status of
children were collected using pre-tested structured questionnaire through face-to-face interview.
Anthropometric measurements were taken. Hemoglobin concentration was determined by using
HemoCue 301+analyzer (Angelholm, Sweden). Stool and blood samples were collected in the
school premises and examined for intestinal and hemoparasites detection, respectively. Data
were coded, cleared and entered into EpiInfo version 3.5.3 and transferred to SPSS version 20
for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to identify
associated factors of anemia. P-value ? 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Result: The overall prevalence of anemia among School-Age-Children was 15.5% (95%CI:
12.4-18.7) in this study. Low maternal/guardian education (AOR=2.304; 95%CI: 1.112-4.775),
stunting (AOR=2.221; 95%CI: 1.297-3.804), severe food insecurity (AOR=5.112; 95%CI:
1.526-17.129), soil transmitted helminthic infection (AOR=7.131; 95%CI: 3.161-16.860), and
untreated water consumption (AOR=4.486; 95%CI: 1.276-15.771) were found significantly
associated with anemia.
Conclusion: Anemia among school age children in this study was found as mild public health
problem. Anemia was strongly associated with low maternal education, food insecurity,
untreated water consumption, chronic nutritional problem and intestinal helminthic infection.
Focused policies and strategies to wards school children should be designed to reduce anemia.
Key Words: Anemia, Associated factor, Prevalence, School-Aged-Childre
