Prevalence And Associated Factors of Anemia Among Reproductive Women in Eastern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Anemia for women in reproductive age continues to be a serious public health issue, especially in countries in Africa like Ethiopia. It is the most frequent reason for serious effects for both the mother and the fetus in women. There have been few investigations on the prevalence and determinants of anemia among reproductive women in the Somali regional state of Eastern Ethiopia. Because of this, the purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence and risk factors for anemia in the Somali regional state. Methods: From January 18 to June 27, 2016, a community-based cross-sectional investigation was carried out. STATA version 12 was used for the statistical analysis. We performed descriptive and summary statistics. To identify the significant factors connected to anemia, a multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was carried out after verifying for assumptions. In the multivariable model, risk factors for anemia were identified as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-value < 0.05. Results: In this study, the overall prevalence of anemia among reproductive women residing in the Somali regional state was 58.4% (95% CI (0.557–0.611)). Around 8.7%, 40.03% and 51.29% of which anemic level reproductive women (15-49 years) were with severe (hemoglobin level: < 7.0 g per dl), moderate (hemoglobin level: 7.0–9.9 g per dl) and mild (hemoglobin level: 10–10.9 g per dl) type respectively. The multivariable binary logistic analysis revealed, predictors of rural residence (AOR =1.4; 95% CI: (1.08–1.93)), giving birth at older age of maternal 20–29 (AOR = 1.7; 95% CI: (1.19–2.54)), 30–39 (AOR =1.9; 95% CI: (1.27–2.76)), and 40–49 (AOR =1.8; 95% CI: (1.08–2.97)) years, being having antenatal care (ANC) follow-up (AOR = 0.44; 95% CI: (0.224–0.868)), and home place of delivery (AOR =1.5; 95% CI: (1.04–2.21)) were statistically predictors associated with anemia. Conclusions: In general, it is still discovered that the prevalence of anemia among reproductive women in the research area is extremely high (far above the national average). Rural residence, home place of delivery, ANC follow-up, and giving birth at older age of maternal were investigated as significant associated predictors of anemia among the study participants. Therefore, filling in the gaps that were discovered should lessen the anemia that is now an issue for women in this study who are of reproductive age.