comparison of the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia among female students of medicine and female students of other majors

ABSTRACT

A decrease in serum iron is considered the first phenomenon emerging in the process of Iron deficiency anemia [IDA]. In advanced phases of IDA various degrees of anemia occur. Regarding the importance of IDA and its consequences especially on individual's health, we performed a survey on the female students of medicine to compare the prevalence of IDA between them and female students majoring in other fields. The present study hypothesizes that education level; particularly college education has some effects on the prevention of this disease. This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed in Mashhad Islamic Azad University during the years of 2005 to 2007.189 female students [91 students of medicine and 98 students of other majors] volunteerly participated in the study. Cell blood count, serum ferritin concentration, serum iron test, hemoglobin, Hct, TIBC, were administered for all the students. Then, the subjects' individual data and the results of their blood tests completed a questionnaire and were analyzed for descriptive statistic, One-way and two-way ANOVA and tooky test, using SPSS software. Among 189 students, 166[88.44%] were found to be normal and 23[11.5%] were detected for iron deficient anemia. In the infected individuals, 9 [39.13%] were students of medicine while the other 14 [60.9%] persons were students of other majors. Also, it was found out that 60 [31.74%] were affected by iron deficiency and 78 [41.26%] had disorders of blood indexes. Statistical findings of this study revealed that the prevalence rate of IDA was lower in the students of higher education in medical sciences in comparison with those of lower levels of medical knowledge. IDA was even higher in extern and intern of medicine in comparison with students of basic science