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Approximately half of adolescent girls living in Sub-Saharan Africa are anemic. Anaemia is associated with lower physical work capacity, impaired cognitive functioning and lower school achievement among adolescents. This study was done to determine factors associated with the prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls aged 14-18 years old within Yala division, Siaya District, Kenya. A mixed method multistage sampling was used to select 230 female students. Blood and stool samples were analysed for anaemia, malaria and worm infestation respectively. Questionnaires were used to assess intake of dietary iron. Results showed 26.5% , 41.3%, 7.4% prevalence anaemia (Hb <12.0 g/dl), malaria and ova of ascaris respectively. Factors that were significantly(P≤0.05) associated with anaemia were: the respondent’s age (OR 3.38 ), educational status of the fathers’, primary (OR=0.313) post-secondary (OR=0.343) inadequate daily dietary iron intake (OR=8.87), presence of malaria parasites (OR=3.68) and ova of ascaris (OR=11.94). The study concluded that anaemia is a public health problem among adolescents in this area. Interventions and strategies aimed at addressing effectively anemia in this population should therefore be targeted at the associated factors including parents especially fathers who should provide more bio available iron for the respondents in the diet.
Damaris Nelima (Sun,) studied this question.
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