Risk factors for anemia in Vietnam.

ABSTRACT

Anemia is a significant public health problem in Vietnam, but representative national data and comprehensive risk factors analysis are lacking. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the distribution and severity of anemia in Vietnam, and 2) to assess potential risk factors for anemia. Nine thousand five hundred fifty households in 53 provinces were covered using a stratified two-stage cluster survey carried out in 1995. Selected household members were interviewed; intestinal helminthes were tested in non-pregnant women by Kato-Katz technique; hemoglobin concentrations were measured with Hemocue. Data were weighted and analyzed by survey procedures using SAS 9.0. Overall, 60% of children under 2 years old, 53% of pregnant women, 40% of non-pregnant women and 15.6% of men were anemic. Hookworm infection was the strongest factor associated with anemia (OR = 1.7; 2.9 and 4.5 for 11,999, 2,000-3,999 and > or = 4,000 hookworm egg counts, respectively) and accounted for 22% of anemia. Hookworm intensity was significantly associated with hemoglobin level; for each 1,000 egg increase, hemoglobin was reduced by 2.4 g/l. Living in different ecological zones, eating < 1 serving of meat/ week, and farming were significantly associated with anemia in women and children. Other risk factors in women included having > 3 children and having a child < 24 months old. In men, no variables were found significantly associated with anemia.