Abstract:
Background: - Anemia affects a significant part of the population in nearly every country in
the globe. Iron requirements are greatest at ages 6–23 months when growth is extremely rapid
and critically essential in critical times of life. The prevalence of anemia among under 23
months of age is still at its highest point of severity to be a public health problem in Ethiopia.
There for there is no study that documented the magnitude of the problem and associated
factors in the study area regarding to this age group. The aim of this study was to assess the
prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among children age 6-23 months in Jimma
town public health centers, south west Ethiopia .
Methods: - An institution based cross-sectional study design was carried out among 354
children of Jimma town, south west Ethiopia from June to July 2022. Systematic random
sampling technique was employed in proportion to population size allocation. Socio economic
and demographic, dietary data, hemoglobin level was collected by using pretested and semi structured questionnaire .Bivariate analyses was done and all covariates variables which have
association with the out came variables at p-value of 0.25 was selected for multivariable
analyses. Multi-variable logistic analysis was used to isolate independent variables associated
with anemia at a p-value less than 0.05.
Result: Out of 354 sampled children, complete data were captured from 328 giving a response
rate of 92.7%. The prevalence of anemia in this study was 132 (40.2%) the larger proportion
101 (28.5%) of children had mild anemia. On multivariable logistic regression analyses, poor
house hold wealth (AOR = 5.39(95% CI: 2.29–12.66), poor dietary diversity (AOR = 2.23
(95% CI: 1.14–4.36), early or late initiation of complementary feeding (AOR = 1.95 (95% CI:
1.01–3.77), age of children 6-11 months (AOR = 2.69(95% CI: 1.34–5.39), history of diarrhea
before two weeks (AOR = 2.75 (95% CI: 1.425.36),sharing toilet with other family(AOR=2.41
(95% CI: 1.19-4.88) and giving habit of vitamin( C) (AOR=7.28 (95% CI: 3.39–15.62) were
significantly associated with anemia.
Conclusion and recommendation
Prevalence of anemia among children (6–23 months) was a severe public health problem in
the study area. Most important predictors are suboptimal child feeding practices, dietary
diversity, age, history of diarrhea, sharing of sanitation facility introduction and of vitamin (C)
wealth index of family. Focused policies and strategies towards the above factors should be
designed to reduce anemia among these age group
