tailieunhanh - Anemia, meat consumption and hookworm infection in women of reproductive age in the Nam Dong mountainous district, Thua Thien Hue province

The objective of the present study is to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with anemia in reproductive aged women of the Nam Dong district of Thua Thien Hue Province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam. | JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, Hue University, N0 61, 2010 ANEMIA, MEAT CONSUMPTION AND HOOKWORM INFECTION IN WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN THE NAM DONG MOUNTAINOUS DISTRICT, THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE Nguyen Van Hoa, Vo Van Thang College of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University Cynthia Ho VU University Amsterdam SUMMARY Anemia is a public health concern in developing countries, especially among vulnerable populations. The prevalence of anemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in the rural communes of Vietnam is largely unknown. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia related to nutrition among women of reproductive aged living in the mountainous communes of the Nam Dong district in Thua Thien Hue province of Vietnam. We have assessed the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency, and the nutritional status of these women in a community based survey. A cross-sectional study comprised of an administered questionnaire, laboratory analysis of hemoglobin, and serum ferrittin. The Nam Dong district is home to the ethnic majority Kinh and ethnic minority Catu and previous studies in this district have reported great differences in the living conditions between these two ethnicities. Of the 425 women, were anemic and among the anemic women were iron deficient, these women were classified as iron deficient anemia (IDA). Although no significant association was found in the prevalence of anemia between the two ethnic groups, of the minority women had moderate anemia and this was of the Kinh women. Anemia was associated with the meat consumption. Efforts to reduce anemia should be targeted at women with low economical and educational level, having the occupation of farmer and belonging to the Catu ethnicity. Key words: anemia, hookworm, reproductive age, women, ethnic, meat consumption, mountainous. 1. Introduction The prevalence of anemia throughout the world is high, and anemia affects every segment of the population. The WHO estimates that