Epidemiologico-Etiological Profile of Anemia in Children Aged 5-16 Years Attending a Tertiary Care Centre
Background: Anemia is a condition where the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry adequate oxygen to tissues and organs. This can lead to symptoms like fatigue, weakness, and pale skin. Causes include nutritional deficiencies (e.g., iron, vitamin B12), chronic diseases, genetic disorders, and blood loss. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may involve dietary changes, supplements, or medications. Material and Methods: In this hospital based observational study, data were on epidemiology, clinical characteristics and laboratory findings of our study population from the medical records and filled up the pre-designed proforma. We categorized our study subjects into Rural and Urban on the basis of addresses they provided in their hospital records (as per aim of the study). Based on investigations findings, we further categorized the etiological factors into Nutritional and Non- nutritional causes. Results: 66.3% of participants were aged 5-11 years, and 33.7% were aged 12-16 years. Moderate anemia was most prevalent among younger children (5-11 years), while severe anemia was more common in older children (12-16 years). A statistically significant association was found between age group and gender, and between severity of anemia and age groups. Conclusion: The high prevalence of non-nutritional anemia underscores the necessity for public health strategies that go beyond dietary interventions. Addressing environmental, genetic, and chronic disease factors is crucial.
