Title |
Anaemia among school children of different socioeconomical status in a city of Southern Brazil
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Published in |
Annals of Human Biology, January 2024
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DOI | 10.1080/03014460.2023.2298473 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Karini da Rosa, Luana Beatriz Limberger, Maiara de Queiroz Fischer, Caroline dos Santos, Cézane Priscila Reuter, Charise Dallazem Bertol, Jorge André Horta, Silvia Isabel Rech Franke, Daniel Prá |
Abstract |
Background: Iron deficiency is one of the leading causes of anaemia, with those most affected being children and women of childbearing age, in Brazil there is a scarcity of studies involving the local prevalence of anaemia. Aim: To evaluate anaemia and associated factors in schoolchildren in Santa Cruz do Sul through the analysis of biochemical and haematological markers and parasitological examination of faeces. Subjects and methods: School children from 10 to 12 years of age were evaluated through complete blood count, serum ferritin, C-reactive protein and stool parasitological examination, as well as socio-demographic characteristics and prophylaxis with ferrous sulphate in childhood. Results: It was found that 13.0% of the population was anaemic, girls were very slightly overrepresented among the anaemic children. Only 5.3% had altered haematocrit levels; 26.6% had low Mean Corpuscular Volume levels; 18.4% had low ferritin levels; 2.4% had increased C-reactive protein levels, and 21.7% had altered eosinophils. As for the socioeconomic level, classes A2 and D presented lower haemoglobin levels, as well as class D presenting lower ferritin levels, although without statistical significance. Only 6.0% of the population presented iron-deficiency anaemia and 46.0% of the schoolchildren had used ferrous sulphate supplementation in childhood. Conclusion: The prevalence of anaemia in the studied municipality is low, probably due to the high municipal human development index. Epidemiological studies are essential to characterise the population in a systematic form, to prevent future problems. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United Kingdom | 1 | 33% |
Germany | 1 | 33% |
Unknown | 1 | 33% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
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Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 2 | 67% |
Members of the public | 1 | 33% |