A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and predictors of anemia among children in Ethiopia

Gebrie, A; Alebel, A

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and predictors of anemia among children in Ethiopia

Gebrie, A Alebel, A

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Publisher:: African Journals Online (AJOL)
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: African Health Sciences, 2020, 20, (4), pp. :2007-2021
Issue Date:: 2020-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Gebrie, A
dc.contributor.author	Alebel, A
dc.date.accessioned	2021-05-21T22:00:05Z
dc.date.available	2021-05-21T22:00:05Z
dc.date.issued	2020-12-01
dc.identifier.citation	African Health Sciences, 2020, 20, (4), pp. :2007-2021
dc.identifier.issn	1680-6905
dc.identifier.issn	1680-6905
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/149054
dc.description.abstract	Background: Anemia is a wide-spread public health problem characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin concentration and/ or red blood cell volume below an established cut-off value. In developing countries including Ethiopia, about half of children are estimated to be anemic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the pooled prevalence of anemia and its predictor factors among children in Ethiopia. Method: The studies were identified through explicit and exhaustive search of reputable databases (PubMed, Google schol-ar, Science Direct, EMBASE, Cochrane library, and the hand search of reference lists of previous prevalence studies to retrieve more related articles. Thirty-nine studies were selected based on a comprehensive list of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted using a standardized and pre-tested data extraction checklist, and the analysis was done using STATA 14 statistical software. To assess heterogeneity, the Cochrane Q test statistic and I2 tests were used. In our analysis, considerable heterogeneity was observed. Therefore, a random effect meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of anemia. Moreover, the predictor factors of anemia were examined. Results: The forest plot of 39 included studies revealed that the overall pooled prevalence of anemia among children in Ethiopia was 34.4% (95% CI: 29.1, 39.7%). Sub-group analysis showed that the highest anemia prevalence was observed in Somali Region with a prevalence of 49.4 % (95% CI: 20.9, 77.8). Also, anemia in children was found to be highest in the age group of less than five years (45.2, 95% CI: 39.6,50.8). Low literacy of families: 1.3 (95% CI: 1.1, 1.7), low family socioeconomic status: 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1,3.01.3), having housewife mothers or with no job: 1.5 (95% CI: 1.4, 1.9) and rural residence: 3.3 (95% CI: 1.7,6.1) were found to be predictors of anemia among children. Conclusion: In this study, one in three children were anemic in Ethiopia. It is a moderate public health problem in children in this study. Low literacy, low socioeconomic status as well as rural residence of the families and helminthic infection of the children were found to be predictors of anemia in the children. Community and school-based interventions should be strengthened to improve the problem.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	African Journals Online (AJOL)
dc.relation.ispartof	African Health Sciences
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.4314/ahs.v20i4.59
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1103 Clinical Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Tropical Medicine
dc.title	A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and predictors of anemia among children in Ethiopia
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	20
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Public Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-05-21T22:00:03Z
pubs.issue	4
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	20
utslib.citation.issue	4

Abstract:

Background: Anemia is a wide-spread public health problem characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin concentration and/ or red blood cell volume below an established cut-off value. In developing countries including Ethiopia, about half of children are estimated to be anemic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the pooled prevalence of anemia and its predictor factors among children in Ethiopia. Method: The studies were identified through explicit and exhaustive search of reputable databases (PubMed, Google schol-ar, Science Direct, EMBASE, Cochrane library, and the hand search of reference lists of previous prevalence studies to retrieve more related articles. Thirty-nine studies were selected based on a comprehensive list of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted using a standardized and pre-tested data extraction checklist, and the analysis was done using STATA 14 statistical software. To assess heterogeneity, the Cochrane Q test statistic and I2 tests were used. In our analysis, considerable heterogeneity was observed. Therefore, a random effect meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of anemia. Moreover, the predictor factors of anemia were examined. Results: The forest plot of 39 included studies revealed that the overall pooled prevalence of anemia among children in Ethiopia was 34.4% (95% CI: 29.1, 39.7%). Sub-group analysis showed that the highest anemia prevalence was observed in Somali Region with a prevalence of 49.4 % (95% CI: 20.9, 77.8). Also, anemia in children was found to be highest in the age group of less than five years (45.2, 95% CI: 39.6,50.8). Low literacy of families: 1.3 (95% CI: 1.1, 1.7), low family socioeconomic status: 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1,3.01.3), having housewife mothers or with no job: 1.5 (95% CI: 1.4, 1.9) and rural residence: 3.3 (95% CI: 1.7,6.1) were found to be predictors of anemia among children. Conclusion: In this study, one in three children were anemic in Ethiopia. It is a moderate public health problem in children in this study. Low literacy, low socioeconomic status as well as rural residence of the families and helminthic infection of the children were found to be predictors of anemia in the children. Community and school-based interventions should be strengthened to improve the problem.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/149054