Cross sectional study of nutritional anaemia in rural area of Bihar

Abstract

Background: Anemia is a global public health problem affecting both developing and developed countries. This study was done to evaluate the etiology of nutritional anaemia in rural children admitted to Department of Paediatrics in Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College & Lions Seva Kendra Hospital, Kishanganj, Bihar. Materials & Methods: The study design was observational cross-sectional study at MGM Medical College & Lions Seva Kendra Hospital, Kishanganj, from August 2019 to July 2020 for period of one year and the participant means all patients aged between 6 months to 12 years, admitted in paediatric ward of this hospital for any complain evaluated for anaemia. All patients with haemoglobin levels less than the WHO cut off levels for anaemia were included in the study. Those who were on drugs, other conditions causing bone marrow suppression were excuded from the study. Serum iron, iron binding capacity, ferritin, vitamin B12, and folic acid level analysis were conducted with auto analyser using commercial kits. Results: In this study a total 475 were examined and 95 children were found to be anaemic and they were taken up for the study. Nutritional anaemia was seen in 63 children, out of which only iron deficiency was seen in 43(68.25%) children, only folic acid deficiency in 7 (11.11%) and only vitamin B12 deficiency in (3.1%) children. Conclusion: Iron deficiency continues to be the main cause of nutritional anaemia in children, despite a policy being in place and a program that has been initiated for a long time to eradicate it.