Prevalence and severity of anaemia among under-5 children at a secondary health care facility in Ile-Ife, south-west Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Anaemia is a common disorder seen in children. It is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality especially in the age group below five years. In the early stages of life, anaemia has negative consequences on cognitive abilities as well as growth and development. We studied anaemia in this age group so as to provide information on the burden of the disease and need for intervention. Our objective is to determine the prevalence and severity of anaemia among under-5 children, in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Material and Methods: A retrospective review of health records of children admitted at the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital (SDAH) Ile-Ife, Nigeria, over a period of five years. Records from January 2011 to December 2015 were obtained from the health records department. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 18 and statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: A total of nine hundred and seventy-eight cases were selected for the study. The cases selected were those with detailed information required for the study. All children with haemoglobin concentration (Hb conc) < 11g/dl were considered to be anaemic. The prevalence of total anaemia (Hb conc <11g/dl) was 81.3%, while mild, moderate and severe anaemia were 9.0%, 21.3% and 51.0% respectively. The mean haemoglobin concentration was 7.24g/dl (95% CI: 7.03-7.45). Severe anaemia declined with increasing age group, with the age group 12-23 months being the highest (19.8%). Malaria was the commonest cause of anaemia in this group of children. Malaria parasitaemia was associated with severe anaemia. (P < 0.000)

Conclusion: The prevalence of anaemia is high among children under 5years in this present study. Severe anaemia was most prevalent, with moderate and mild anaemia, also contributing significantly to the overall burden of anaemia. Malaria parasitemia is a causal factor associated with severe anaemia. Due to the impact of anaemia on neurocognitive function and overall well being of children, unrelenting and concerted efforts aimed at prevention and control of malaria would go a long way in stemming the burden of the disorder in children.

Keywords: Anaemia, Prevalence, Severity, Malaria, Children