Anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somali regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND:Adolescent girls have a higher risk of anemia due to an increased requirement, low intake of hematopoietic nutrients and low intake of a nutrient that enhance absorption of these hematopoietic nutrients. Adolescent girls living in refugee camps are more vulnerable to anemia. The study aim...

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Main Authors: Melaku Tadege Engidaw, Molla Mesele Wassie, Alemayehu Shimeka Teferra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2018-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6181359?pdf=render
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author Melaku Tadege Engidaw
Molla Mesele Wassie
Alemayehu Shimeka Teferra
author_facet Melaku Tadege Engidaw
Molla Mesele Wassie
Alemayehu Shimeka Teferra
author_sort Melaku Tadege Engidaw
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND:Adolescent girls have a higher risk of anemia due to an increased requirement, low intake of hematopoietic nutrients and low intake of a nutrient that enhance absorption of these hematopoietic nutrients. Adolescent girls living in refugee camps are more vulnerable to anemia. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls aged 10-19 years in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somalia regional state, Southeast Ethiopia. METHODS:A cross-sectional study design was employed. Study participants were recruited using a simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Hemoglobin level was tested using HemoCueHb 301 from 10μl finger prick blood samples. Adolescents with a hemoglobin level of <12.5gm/dl after altitude adjustment were classified as anemic. Data were entered using Epi Info version 7.0 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the association of independent variables with anemia. Variables having P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS:Four hundred thirty-seven adolescent girls participated in the study with a response rate of 95.83%. The prevalence of anemia was 22% (95% CI (17.6, 26.1)). Late adolescents were 2 times more likely to have anemia as compared to early adolescents (AOR: 1.95, 95% CI (1.09, 3.47). Those who stayed ≥8 years in the camp were 3 times more likely to develop anemia (AOR: 2.92, 95% CI (1.14, 7.50)). Those who ate heme iron food sources less than one time per month were 11 times more likely to develop anemia compared to those who ate more than twice within a week (AOR: 11.42, 95% CI (3.42, 38.18)). CONCLUSIONS:The prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls was a moderate public health problem. Education and awareness on adolescent nutrition with special attention of late adolescents and duration in the refugee camps is warranted. Moreover, promoting the intake of foods rich in heme iron is suggested.
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spelling doaj.art-34b9fabfefd548c18690423799aca81d2022-12-21T22:37:06ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032018-01-011310e020538110.1371/journal.pone.0205381Anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somali regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.Melaku Tadege EngidawMolla Mesele WassieAlemayehu Shimeka TeferraBACKGROUND:Adolescent girls have a higher risk of anemia due to an increased requirement, low intake of hematopoietic nutrients and low intake of a nutrient that enhance absorption of these hematopoietic nutrients. Adolescent girls living in refugee camps are more vulnerable to anemia. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls aged 10-19 years in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somalia regional state, Southeast Ethiopia. METHODS:A cross-sectional study design was employed. Study participants were recruited using a simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Hemoglobin level was tested using HemoCueHb 301 from 10μl finger prick blood samples. Adolescents with a hemoglobin level of <12.5gm/dl after altitude adjustment were classified as anemic. Data were entered using Epi Info version 7.0 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the association of independent variables with anemia. Variables having P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS:Four hundred thirty-seven adolescent girls participated in the study with a response rate of 95.83%. The prevalence of anemia was 22% (95% CI (17.6, 26.1)). Late adolescents were 2 times more likely to have anemia as compared to early adolescents (AOR: 1.95, 95% CI (1.09, 3.47). Those who stayed ≥8 years in the camp were 3 times more likely to develop anemia (AOR: 2.92, 95% CI (1.14, 7.50)). Those who ate heme iron food sources less than one time per month were 11 times more likely to develop anemia compared to those who ate more than twice within a week (AOR: 11.42, 95% CI (3.42, 38.18)). CONCLUSIONS:The prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls was a moderate public health problem. Education and awareness on adolescent nutrition with special attention of late adolescents and duration in the refugee camps is warranted. Moreover, promoting the intake of foods rich in heme iron is suggested.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6181359?pdf=render
spellingShingle Melaku Tadege Engidaw
Molla Mesele Wassie
Alemayehu Shimeka Teferra
Anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somali regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.
PLoS ONE
title Anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somali regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.
title_full Anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somali regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.
title_fullStr Anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somali regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.
title_full_unstemmed Anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somali regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.
title_short Anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somali regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.
title_sort anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls living in aw barre refugee camp somali regional state southeast ethiopia
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6181359?pdf=render
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AT alemayehushimekateferra anemiaandassociatedfactorsamongadolescentgirlslivinginawbarrerefugeecampsomaliregionalstatesoutheastethiopia