The Socioeconomic Attributes of Anaemia in an Industrial Town in Eastern India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Anaemia remains a critical public health challenge in India, traditionally viewed as a nutritional deficiency but increasingly recognized as a complex multifactorial condition. This study investigates the socioeconomic and nutritional determinants of anaemia in the industrial locality of Haldia, Purba Medinipur. This is believed to be the first study in this region to investigate whether socioeconomic background is associated with anaemia. The industrial location is particularly well-suited for such a study. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 301 participants, who used a digital haemoglobinometer to estimate haemoglobin. Data on dietary intake, Body Mass Index (BMI) and socioeconomic status (income and education) were collected and analysed using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests (p ? 0.05). The prevalence of anaemia in the sample was 47.84%. Individual income status is a key determinant of anaemia (X2 = 5.23, p < 0.022) in females, with dependent females being more anaemic. While a significant association was found between BMI and anaemia (p = 0.004), age was a significant risk factor (X2 = 9.81, p=0.0017). Most critically, dietary intake showed a profound inverse correlation (p=5.12x10-9), with 100% of “insufficient diet” identified as anaemic. The high prevalence of anaemia in Haldia is strongly driven by calorie insufficiency and age-related factors rather than weight-based nutritional status. Children and senior citizens suffer particularly from anaemia, whereas working women manage better because they are independent of the family income to meet their dietary requirements. Addressing anaemia in industrial-agricultural hubs requires strategies that integrate food security with socioeconomic empowerment, particularly for children and aging populations.