Prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among women of reproductive age group attending Gaur Provincial Hospital: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Anemia is a principal public health concern. Worldwide one-third of women of reproductive age are affected. A 2016 survey showed that 41% of women in Nepal had anemia with the highest prevalence in Pradesh two. A complex interaction among socio-political, biological, and ecological elements determines anemia. Assessing the factors would help in minimizing anemia and its consequences. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia in the reproductive age group and the factors affecting anemia.    Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among women of the reproductive age group (15–45) from 15th April to 15th June 2022 after ethical clearance was obtained from the Nepal health research council (Ref. 2737/2022). Regarding data collection, 375 women participants were selected via a simple random sampling technique. Participants underwent an interview after informed written consent followed by blood sample collection. Through a semi-structured questionnaire, the data was obtained. Then data entry and its analysis were performed via Microsoft Excel 2019 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0.  Results: The study showed that 229 (61.3%) females of the reproductive age group had anemia. Inadequate nutrition (OR 3.0, 1.9–5.0), breastfeeding (OR 7.3, 4.5–11.9), and rural place of residence (OR 4.2, 2.5–7.0) were significantly associated with anemia, with a corresponding odds ratio at 95% confidence each.  Conclusions: The prevalence of anemia was higher among women of the reproductive age group compared to provincial and national prevalence. The interventions should be focused on breastfeeding, nutrition, and rural women to combat anemia.