ABSTRACT
Introduction: Anemia is a most common public healthproblem affecting around 1.9 billion population of the world.It is a severe public health problem in India. Medical studentsare vulnerable to develop anemia due to irregular eatinghabits due to hectic study schedule. Anemia among this agegroup has significant health consequences resulting in poorcognition, decreased attention span and memory affectingthe performance, depressed immunity, repeated infections,increased fatigue, and shortness of breath, dizziness, blurredvision, low endurance and irregular menstruation.Material and Methods: This study is conducted among 100students of both gender taking admission in MBBS first yearat MAMC, Agroha. Hemoglobin values and other relevantdetails of the students were taken from academic sectionsubmitted at time of admission. World Health Organizationcriteria were taken to determine the severity of anemia.Modified B.G. Prasad scale was used to assess the socioeconomic status of the family. Data was first entered into MSexcel sheet and then was exported to SPSS version 20.0 forappropriate analysis.Results: Prevalence of anemia came out to be 54% amongstudy subjects. Difference between the mean levels ofhemoglobin across the genders came out be statisticallysignificant (P=<0.001).Conclusion: Prevalence of anemia is high among the studysubjects with more prevalence among females study subjects.There is a need to accelerate efforts for achieving control ofanemia by strengthening multi-sectoral partnership involvinggovernment departments, academic institutions, bilateralagencies and food industry.
ABSTRACT
En el presente estudio se determinó la prevalencia de anemia, deficiencia de hierro y parasitosis intestinal y su combinación relacionándolo con condiciones socioeconómicas por los métodos de Necesidades Básicas Insatisfechas y Graffar Modificado de Méndez-Castellano. Se evaluaron 403 niños y niñas menores de 15 años de la comunidad rural La Bucarita, Estado Lara, Venezuela. Se determinó la concentración de ferritina sérica mediante el método de ELISA, el hierro sérico y la Capacidad Total de Fijación de Hierro por absorción atómica adosado a un horno de grafito, y la hemoglobina usando un Coulter ACT8; las muestras fecales se analizaron por el método Kato-Katz cualitativo. Los resultados muestran que el 13,4% de los niños y niñas presentaron anemia, 28,3% eran ferropénicos de los cuales 29,8% eran anémicos ferropénicos. El 79,71% de la muestra estudiada presentó parasitosis intestinal siendo los más frecuentes Áscaris Lumbricoides (65,3%) y TrichurisTrichiura (52,4%). El 98% y el 2% de las familias se encuentran en pobreza absoluta y relativa, respectivamente. De acuerdo al Graffar y al NBI, 98,59% clasificó como hogar en pobreza extrema. Hubo correlación estadísticamente significativa p<0,001 entre los aspectos socioeconómicos y la infestación parasitaria observándose la misma prevalencia entre las personas con pobreza crítica y pobreza extrema (79,6%).
In the present study were determined the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency and intestinal parasitosis and their combinations, associating them to socio-economic conditions using the methods of Unsatisfied Basic Needs and Graffar Mendez-Castellano. 403 children under 15 years of age from the rural community of La Bucarita, Lara state, Venezuela, were evaluated. The concentration of serum ferritin was determined by means of ELISA methods, serum iron and Total Binding Capacity Iron by means of atomic absorption attached to a graphite furnace, hemoglobin by means of Coulter Act8 and fecal samples by means of the Kato-Katz qualitative method. The results show that 13.4% of children had anemia, 28.3% were ferropenics, 29,8 % of whom were anemic ferropenics. 79.71% of the sample had intestinal parasitosis, the most frequent were Ascaris lumbricoides (65.3%) and TrichurisTrichiura (52.4%). 98% of the families were in absolute poverty and 2% of the families were in relative poverty. According to Graffar and to NBI, 98.59% were rated as extremely poor household. There was statistically significant correlation p <0.001 between socio-economic and parasitic infestation, the same prevalence being observed among people in poverty and extreme poverty (79.6%).