Factors Associated with Anemia Status Among Children Aged 6–59 months in Ghana, 2003–2014

Abstract

Background In 2008, 78% of Ghanaian children under 5 years old were anemic versus 48% of children globally. In this study, we identified proximal and distal determinants of severe-moderate anemia and mild anemia related to socioeconomic status, nutrition, and health access. Methods Using data from the 2003, 2008, and 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHS), the odds of severemoderate anemia and mild anemia compared to no anemia, in relation to various hypothesized risk factors, were assessed using a multivariable, multinomial logistic regression, which accounted for survey design. Results From among 7739 households sampled, severe-moderate anemia was found in approximately 52%, 56%, and 40% of children during 2003, 2008, and 2014, respectively. The proportion of children diagnosed as not anemic was 26% in 2003, 22% in 2008, and 33% in 2014. There are large disparities in anemia prevalence among regions and between urban and rural areas. In 2014, children who were younger (aged 6-24 months), had a recent fever, were from poorer families, and whose mothers were less educated had greater odds of being severely-moderately anemic. These results remained significant when controlling for other risk factors. Predictors of anemia in Ghana remained relatively consistent among the three time periods when the GDHS was administered. Conclusions The prevalence of anemia in Ghana among children aged 6-59 months has remained unacceptably high. To reduce anemia in these children, the Ghanaian government should concentrate on educating women through both the traditional school system and antenatal care visits. Keywords Anemia disease risk • West Africa • Childhood health disparities • Demographic and health survey (DHS) • Maternal and child nutrition Significance What is Already Known on This Subject? Existing literature using GDHS data shows there are child, household, and sociocultural factors associated with anemia in Ghana. What This Study Adds? This is the first article, that we know of, to assess predictors of anemia in Ghana over three rounds of GDHS data. Younger child age, fever in the last 2 weeks, lower household wealth, less maternal education, and maternal anemia were significantly associated with severe-moderate anemia among children in 2014. The predictors remained relatively constant over time, with similar risk factors being seen in 2003 and 2008. These results can inform policy makers in Ghana.

Regional Differences in the Prevalence of Anaemia and Associated Risk Factors among Infants Aged 0–23 Months in China: China Nutrition and Health Surveillance

“…Our study found that a higher level of maternal education and residence in economically developed areas were associated with lower odds of developing anaemia. This observation is in concordance with findings from Ghana [ 21 ], Guinea [ 22 ], India [ 23 , 24 ] and other studies in China [ 25 ]. Although the socioeconomic indicators for China (e.g., food expenditure, average disposable income and gross domestic product per capita) have increased in both urban and rural areas over the past decades [ 26 , 27 ], holistic socioeconomic conditions remain better in urban and Eastern/Central areas than in rural and Western areas [ 28 ].…”

Geographic weighted regression analysis of hot spots of anemia and its associated factors among children aged 6–59 months in Ethiopia: A geographic weighted regression analysis and multilevel robust Poisson regression analysis

“…In this study, the prevalence of anemia among children aged 6-59 months in Ethiopia was 57.56% (95%CI: 56.50%, 58.61%) ranged from 42.66% in the Amhara region to 83.24% in the Somali region. This was higher than a study reported in Ghana [41] and China [42]. Even though the combined strategies particularly iron supplementation and infectious disease management (such as malaria and helminths infections) are being introduced by the WHO to combat anemia, anemia remains a serious health care problem in Ethiopia.…”

Burden of malaria in children under five and caregivers’ health-seeking behaviour for malaria-related symptoms in artisanal mining communities in Ghana

“…A large study in Ghana involving 2123 children conducted around the same period as the current study found anaemia and malaria prevalence of 35.6% and 20.3%, respectively, in children under 5 years [ 25 ]. An earlier household survey of 7739 children under 5 years in 2014 also found 40% anaemia prevalence [ 26 ]. About 3 years later, where several conditions contributing to anaemia in the country should have been better, anaemia prevalence of over 60% would not have been expected—and is strongly associated with malaria in this study and owing to artisanal mining in these sites.…”