Risk factors associated with anemia among school age pupils in Tanzania; A Case Study of Pwani, Geita and Arusha regions

Abstract

Background Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the hemoglobin concentration in the blood is lower than normal and has been considered a health concern in developing countries like Tanzania. Primary school pupils are the most endangered groups of anemia. Anemia hurts one's well-being, rational growth, educational attainment, and job production if left untreated. This study aimed to determine factors associated with anemia among public primary school pupils aged 5–19 years in Tanzania. Methods The study was cross-sectional and involved 2,292 pupils from the selected regions. It used secondary data from a school malaria and nutrition survey conducted between August and October 2019 among public primary school pupils (5 to 19 years) in Tanzania. Binary and Multinomial logistic regression models were used to assess the possible association of independent and outcome variables. Results Anemia was higher (33%) among primary school pupils aged 15–19 (COR = 1.35, 95% CL: 1.11, 2.12) compared to the pupils aged 5–9 years. Most of the pupils who were malaria-positive were found to be anemic (COR = 1.67, 95%CL: 1.23, 2.27). Mild anemia was less common among pupils living in urban areas (COR = 0.57, 95% CL: 0.41, 0.80) compared to rural areas. Conclusion Therefore, malaria-positive, rural residents and older children (5 to 19 years) were among the major factors associated with anemia among public primary school pupils in the study area.