Role of socio-demographic and cultural factors on anemia in a tribal population of North Kerala, India

Imaad Mohammed Ismail; Azeez Kahkashan; Alwin Antony; Sobhith VK

doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20161381

Authors

Imaad Mohammed Ismail Department of Community Medicine, Kannur, Kerala
Azeez Kahkashan Department of Physiology Kannur Medical College, Kannur, Kerala
Alwin Antony Department of Community Medicine, Kannur, Kerala
Sobhith VK Department of Community Medicine, Kannur, Kerala

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20161381

Keywords:

Anemia, Tribal population, Socio-economic class, Menorrhagia

Abstract

Background: Anemia is a major public health problem in India, with an estimated prevalence of 38% to 82% in non-pregnant females and 18% to 59% in males. Anemia is a major cause for maternal mortality and chronic anemia leads to secondary organ damage such as congestive heart failure. Tribal people have been observed to have a higher prevalence of anemia and the factors causing it varies according to their geographical location and cultural practices; hence this study was undertaken with the objective of estimating the prevalence of anemia and identifying its risk factors among residents of Kannavam tribal area, Kerala, India.

Methods:It was a cross-sectional study conducted among tribal residents of Kannavam area from May 2014 to October 2015. Using convenient sampling 200 tribal people aged 18 years and above were selected, interviewed and sample collected. Anaemia was classified according to WHO criteria. Proportions, chi-square test and regression were used for analysis and p value less than 0.05 was considered to be significant.

Results: The mean (±SD) age of the study participants was 43 (±16) years. 43.5% study participants were males and the rest were females. The overall prevalence of anemia in the currently study is 51% (33.3% in males and 64.6% in females) which is much higher than the Kerala state prevalence rates. Increasing age and low socio-economic class were found to be common risk factors associated with anemia among both sexes whereas menorrhagia was found to be a significant factor in females.

Conclusions:The prevalence of anemia was high among both male and female tribal residents. Geriatric age group and low socio-economic status people were particularly vulnerable for developing anemia and special focus must be given to them while administering preventive and control measures.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

WHO. Haemoglobin concentrations for the diagnosis of anaemia and assessment of severity. Vitamin and mineral nutrition information system. Geneva, World Health Organization; 2011.

WHO. Worldwide prevalence of anaemia 1993-2005. Geneva, World Health Organization; 2008.

Malhotra P, Kumari S, Kumar R, Varma S. Prevalence of anemia in adult rural population of north India. J Assoc Physicians India. 2004;52:18-20.

Pratima V, Shraddha S, Archana G, Ashutosh K, Ahilesh K. Prevalence in anemia in adults with respect to socio-demographic status, blood groups and religion in north Indian population. Int J Biol Med Res. 2012;3(4):2422-8.

Bhattacherjee S, Banerjee R, Roy JK, Mandal S, Biswas R, Chakraborty M. Under nutrition and anemia in rural aduts - a cross sectional study in rural north Bengal. Indian J Prev Soc Med. 2010;41(1):33-6.

Gupta SK, Agarwal SS, Kaushal R, Jain A, Gupta VK, Khare N. Prevalence of anemia among rural population living in and around of rural health and training center, ratua village of Madhya Pradesh. Muller J Med Sci Res. 2014;5:15-8.

Alok P, Malay P, Divyeshkumar V. Study of anemia in Surat, Western India. Nat J Med Res. 2012;2(3):369-71.

Brabin BJ, Hakimi M, Pelletier D. An analysis of anemia and pregnancy related maternal mortality. J Nutr. 2001;131:604-15.

Kalaivani K. Prevalence and consequences of anemia in pregnancy. Indian J Med Res. 2009;130:627-33.

Silverberg DS, Wexler D, Liana A. The role of anemia in the progression of congestive heart failure. Is there place for erythropoietin and intravenous iron. J Nephrol. 2004;17(6):749-61.

Beard JL. Iron biology in immune function, muscle metabolism and neuronal functioning. J Nutr. 2001;131:568-79.

Basta SS, Soekirman, Karyadi D, Scrimshaw NS. Iron deficiency anemia and the productivity of adult males in Indonesia. Am J Clin Nutr. 1979;32:916-25.

Scholz BD, Gross R, Schultink W, Sastroamidjojo S. Anemia is associated with reduced productivity of women workers even in less physically strenuous work. Brit J Nut. 1997;77:47-57.

Kaur M, Kochar GK. Burden of anaemia in rural and urban jat women in Haryana state, India. Mal J Nutr. 2009;15(2):175-84.

Ortega P, Leal J, Amaya D, Chavez C. Nutritional evaluation, micronutrient deficiencies and anemia among female adolescents in an urban and a rural zone from Zulia state, Venezuela. Invest Clin. 2010;51(1):37-52.

Shrinivasa BM, Philip RR, Krishnapali VK, Suraj A, Sreelakshmi PR. Prevalence of anemia among tribal women of reproductive age-group in Wayanad district of Kerala. Int J Health Allied Sci. 2014;3:120-4.

De M, Halder A, Podder S, Sen R, Chakrabarty S, Sengupta B, et al. Anemia and hemoglobinopathies in tribal population of Eastern and North-Eastern India. Hematology. 2006;11(5):371-3.

Statistics profile of scheduled tribes in India. Office of the registrar general and census commissioner, government of India. New Delhi, Ministry of Home Affairs, 2013. Available at http://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/Section%20Table/Section1Table.pdf. Accessed 28 October 2015.

Decline in rates of maternal and infant mortality. press information bureau, government of India. New Delhi, ministry of health and family welfare, 2011. Available at http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=103446. Accessed 30 October 2015.

Provisional population statistics. Office of the registrar general and census commissioner, government of India. New Delhi, Ministry of Home Affairs. Census 2011.

International institute for population sciences (IIPS) and macro international. National family health survey (NFHS-3), India, 2005-06: Kerala. Mumbai, IIPS; 2008.

Alem M, Enawgaw B, Gelaw A, Kena T, Seid M, Olkeba Y. Prevalence of anemia and associated risk factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Azezo health centre Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. J Interdiscipl Histopathol. 2013;1(3):137-44.

Balarajan Y, Ramakrishnan U, Ozaltin E, Shankar AH, Subramanian SV. Anemia in low and middle income countries. Lancet. 2011;378:2123-35.

Bentley ME, Griffithe PL. The burden of anemia among women in India. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57:52-60.

Melku M, Addis Z, Alem M, Enawgaw B. Prevalence and predictors of maternal anemia during pregnancy in Gonder, Northwest Ethopia: an institutional based cross-sectional study. Anemia 2014;108593:1-9.

Your guide to anemia. US department of health and human services. National institute of health. NIH publication. 2011;11:7629:13.