Prevalence of anaemia in the Curacao health study: its relationship with socio-economic status and self-reported health status - abstract

ABSTRACT

The main goal of the Curacao Health Study (CHS), which is cross-sectional in design, is to give insight into the determinants of health in the Curacao population. Anaemia often occurs as a secondary manifestation of underlying conditions. In addition, socio-economic factors affect health-status and, anaemia can also be related to these variables. Prevalence of anaemia for the population in the CHS 15.0 percent. Of the males 10.5 percent were anaemic, while 18.1 percent of the females were anaemic. Microcytic/hypochromic anaemia accounted for 28.8 percent of the anaemias, while normochromic anaemias accounted for 69.2 percent and macrocytic anaemias for 2.0 percent of all anaemias. Prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) was 7.2 percent and 0.5 percent in the female and male populations, respectively. An inverse relationship was noted between socio-economic status and anaemia. A relationship was also evident between malignant neoplastic conditions, menstrual and severe kidney disorders and anaemia (AU)