Anemia and Its Associated Factors among Children Aged 6-23 Months in Jimma Town, Public Health Center, South West Ethiopia

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