अमूर्त

Screening for double burden of infants anemia and micronutrient deficiencies in urban, semi-urban and rural clinics in Umuahia North, Abia State, Nigeria.

Chinedu P. Nwuke*, Uhuo Emanuel, Stella Edozie, Philemon C. Anuforo, Uroko Robert Ikechukwu, Egu U. Elizabeth, Anumiri Chibuike

Introduction: This randomized study was to evaluate for anemia prevalence, micronutrient status and co-existence of double burden in infants (0 to 5 years) of Urban, semi-urban and rural clinics in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria.
Methods: One hundred and fifty (150) consenting infants were used for the study. A semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with the infants. Blood samples were collected under sterile condition and haemoglobin concentrations, packed cell volume, red blood cell, mean corpuscular volume, platelets, iron, vitamins A and B12 were determined.
Results: Showed that vitamin A, vitamin B12 and iron concentrations of infants examined in Urban (FMC) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those examined in Semi-urban (Anelechi hospital) and Rural (Healing cross hospital). Results showed that infants examined at Urban and Semi-urban areas had significantly (p<0.05) higher haemoglobin concentration (Hb), Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and Red blood cell (RBC) compared to those who were examined at Rural area while the Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) of infants examined at Semi-urban area was significantly higher (p<0.05) than those examined at Urban and Rural areas. The prevalence of anemia among infants in Urban, Semi-urban, Rural is 18%, 4%, and 32% respectively.
Discussion and Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia was higher in Rural than Urban and Semi-urban infants. There is a coexistence and complex interaction between micronutrient deficiencies, infectious diseases and anemia. The prevalence of anemia was found to be low among infants in this study compared to similar studies already carried out.