Hippokratia
Volume 14, Issue 4, 2010, Pages 252-260

Risk factors associated with anemia among Serbian school-age children 7-14 years old: Results of the first national health survey (Article)

Djokic D.* , Drakulovic M.B. , Radojicic Z. , Crncevic Radovic L. , Rakic L. , Kocic S. , Davidovic G.
  • a Institute of Public Health, Kragujevac, School of Medicine, University of Kragujevac, 1, Trg Nikole Pasica Str., 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
  • b Institute of Public Health, Kragujevac, School of Medicine, University of Kragujevac, 1, Trg Nikole Pasica Str., 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
  • c Institute for Statistics, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
  • d Institute of Public Health of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
  • e Institute of Hematology, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
  • f Institute of Public Health, Kragujevac, School of Medicine, University of Kragujevac, 1, Trg Nikole Pasica Str., 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
  • g Clinical Center of Kragujevac, School of Medicine, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia

Abstract

Background: Anemia in school-age children is an important public health problem and available data of its prevalence and existing risk factors are essential for planning preventive strategies. The purpose of the current study was to assess the prevalence of and the risk factors associated with anemia among the school-age children 7-14 years years old in Serbia. Methods: In the 2000 National Health Survey, a cross-sectional, multistage cluster survey, performed in 1688 private and refugee campuses' households across the territory of Serbia a total of 525 cases were recruited. Socioeconomic, nutritional, physical activities and lifestyle data have been collected and hemoglobin levels were determined. Results: The overall prevalence of anemia was 18% (94/525) [95% CI 15-21]. Age of 12-14 yrs (odds ratio 3.56 [95% CI 2.17-5.85], p=0.000), male gender (3.22 [1.92-5.42], p=0.000), refugee campuses' residence (1.98 [1.22-3.23], p=0.000), lunch skipping (3.43 [1.40-8.33], p=0.007), defective poultry intake (1.65 [1.01-2.62], p=0.047), lack of fish consumption (1.84 [1.07-3.18], p=0.028), disagreement that sport contributes protecting health (3.80 [2.02-6.95], p=0.000), absence of learning (1.80 [1.12-2.90], p=0.016) and defective book reading in free time (2.18 [1.03-4.61], p=0.04), were independent risk factors of anemia. The frequency of anemia was highest in schoolaged of male gender adolescent males 12-14 years old (46/105, 44%); in 12-14 years aged participants living in refugee campuses' households (22/63, 35%); in refugees of 7-14 yrs old male gender (32/101, 32%); in subjects with defective fish and poultry intake (35/118, 30%) and in participants who escaped reading and learning as lifestyle practices in free time (53/204, 26%). Conclusions: Socioeconomic, nutritional, physical and lifestyle risk factors could be considered by introducing preventive strategies of anemia in school-age children in Serbia. Hippokratia 2010; 14 (4): 252-260.

Author Keywords

Anemia Lifestyle Physical activities Socioeconomic factors Nutritive factors School-age children

Index Keywords

physical activity lifestyle refugee hemoglobin blood level health survey human controlled study school child anemia Adolescent male female risk factor socioeconomics prevalence Article major clinical study Serbia nutritional value food intake disease association nutritional status structured questionnaire dietary intake public health Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78149394518&partnerID=40&md5=2e0ebca6f27642be774c457cfd610cf0
ISSN: 11084189
Cited by: 12
Original Language: English