Prevalence and associated factors of anemia among women of childbearing age in the eastern region of Burkina Faso

Anemia is a serious public health problem in Burkina Faso, with a prevalence well above the 40% threshold. To combat this effectively, this study aims to identify the factors associated with anemia among women of childbearing age in the eastern region of Burkina Faso. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study. Data on women of childbearing age was collected through individual interviews using a validated, digitized questionnaire on the ODK application. The 'Hemocue' rapid diagnostic test was used to measure hemoglobin levels in 614 women aged 15-49 years. The cut-off point for anemia was defined as a hemoglobin level below 11.0 g/dL for pregnant women and below 12.0 g/dL for non-pregnant women. Bivariate analyses were performed using the chi-square test and multivariate analyses using logistic regression, both with SPSS software. The results showed that 71.8% of women were anemic. A statistically significant association was found between anemia and age, marital status, and the use of iron/folic acid supplements in women of childbearing age. Indeed, women living alone were found to be more likely to be anemic than married women (OR = 5.155; CI = 1.821-14.593; P = 0.002). Individual and household characteristics must be considered when designing policies and plans to address anemia.