Socio-demographic factors influencing Iron Deficiency Anaemia among children below five years at Bujubuli Health Centre IV, Kyegegwa District. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71020/6cnsf024Keywords:
Socio-demographic factors, Higher birth order, Iron deficiency anaemia, Children below five yearsAbstract
Background:
The study aims to find out socio-demographic factors influencing Iron Deficiency Anaemia among children below five years at Bujubuli Health Centre IV, Kyegegwa district.
Method:
A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2025 at Bujubuli Health Centre IV, Kyegegwa District. Data was collected using structured questionnaires, and a systematic random sampling technique was employed to select the 96 study participants. Data was analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 22.
Results:
Most of the respondents 62(64.6%) had jobless while 34(35.4%) were employed. Iron Deficiency Anaemia was more prevalent in children of higher birth order (4+), and least among those of birth order (1), that is 46.7% and 31.8% respectively. Families with three or more children under five reported the highest Iron Deficiency Anemia prevalence (56.5%). IDA prevalence was highest in children whose caretakers had never gone to school (83.3%). The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia was higher in children whose caretakers were Catholics (50.0%) than in those who were following Seventh day Adventist church (0.0%). The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia was found to be highest in children between 16 and 24 months of age, 53.3%. The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia was highest in children whose caretakers were never employed (87.1%) and lower in children whose caretakers had jobs (41.2%).
Conclusion:
This study established that Iron deficiency Anaemia is still a national health threat, especially amongst the poor population, with a moderate prevalence of childhood anaemia, according to this study, being 38.5%.
Recommendations:
Health practitioners, most especially nutritionists, should ensure that anaemic children who are admitted are fed well on complementary foods while receiving required treatments to eradicate the severe grades of IDA.
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