Anaemia in young children living in the Surinamese interior: the influence of age, nutritional status and ethnicity

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Anaemia may lead to poor motor development and impaired neurocognitive function and affects 43% of children 1–5 years worldwide. Currently, there is little information on the prevalence of anaemia in young children living in the interior of Suriname. This study investigates the prevalence of anaemia in these children and the influence of the associated factors of age, nutritional status and ethnicity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Haemoglobin levels and anthropometric measurements of children aged 1–5 years were collected, after informed consent was provided, in three different interior regions of Suriname in the period September–October 2015. World Health Organization(WHO) standards for anaemia and underweight assessment were applied. Logistic regression models were computed to examine independent associations between the anaemic and non-anaemic groups and were expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: Six hundred and six children were included 330(55%) very young (1–3 years) and 276 older (4–5 years). Younger age was associated with anaemia (OR = 2.45;95% CI 1.75, 3.45). Anaemia was less prevalent in Amerindian than in Maroon children (OR = 0.51; 95% CI0.34, 0.76). Haemoglobin level was not influenced by nutritional status. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of anaemia in children 1–5years old living in Suriname’s interior is high (55%) compared to similar aged children in Latin America and the Caribbean (4–45%). Children 1–3 years of age were more affected than 4–5-year old children, as were Maroon children compared to Amerindian children. Nutritional status was not of influence. These findings call for further studies and may support adaptation of anaemia prevention and control programmes in young children in Suriname.