الفهرس 
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Abstract
Iron deficiency anemia has been commonly reported as a significant health problem for which early screening and prevention are most effective ways to reduce its burden. The aim of the current study was to estimate iron deficiency anemia among 400 infants (12 months’ age) who were attending family health centers for vaccination (Shark – Wasat – El-Montazah) districts, Alexandria, Egypt. One family center from each district was selected according to attendance rate. Reviewing of hemoglobin level for each infant from health records to reflect the prevalence of IDA among 12 months’ infants. The infant was considered to have IDA, with Hb level below 11 gm/ dl.
Data were collected through
A pre-designed interview questionnaire was used to collect the data.
Anthropometric measurement (weight and length).
Reviewing of hemoglobin level for each infant from health records.
Data were fed to the computer and analyzed using IBM SPSS software package version 20.0.
The study findings were
- Boys were 54.0% and girls were 46.0%. More than half (54.0%) of the studied sample were the 3rd and more in their families.
- Prevalence of IDA among the studied sample was (61.0%)
• Most of infants (82.0%) had normal weight for age and only 18.0% was underweight. The mean length was 74.35±2.49 cm, the great proportion (88%) of the studied infants had normal length for age and 12.0% were stunted. As regards weight/length; 73% of the studied infants had normal weight/length, 23.8% were wasted and 3.2% were overweight
- The mean birth spacing was 2.76 ± 1.49 years.
- More than one third (36.0%) of mothers of the studied sample had low educational level, and 42.5% had not enough monthly income.
- 42.5% of mothers had anemia during last pregnancy or after last labor, while 52.0% had hemorrhage during last pregnancy or after last labor.
- Most mothers had poor knowledge regarding IDA
- Most common morbidities among children in last two weeks before the interview was (cough-pharyngitis- tonsillitis-diarrhea-common cold-otitis media and parasitic infestation)
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
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- More than half of the sample (52.8%) were formula fed, the mean age of starting the complementary feeding was (5.21 ± 1.78) months.
- The most common types of food were given to infants at time of interview were mashed fruits and vegetables-cereals-dairy products (yogurt, cheese)-legumes-fruit juices and eggs respectively.
- The mean age of introducing cow milk was 9.09± 2.61 months.
- More than half (56.0%) of the studied sample were receiving tea, cola, cocoa during and immediately after meals, less than half of the studied sample (42.8%) had high frequency of starchy food intake. On the other hand, (47.8%) of the studied sample had a protein intake of animal source once/week.
- The mean percent score of mothers’ knowledge about iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was 45.89±14.16, while the mean percent score of mothers’ knowledge’s about nutritional aspects of iron deficiency anemia was 43.72±11.55. The common predicting IDA factors were father’s education level (p<0.001), birth order (p<0.001), birth spacing in years (p=0.001), iron intake during last pregnancy or after last labor (p=0.002), mother’s educational level (p=0.033), monthly income (p=0.042), parity (p=0.044), intake of tea, cola, cocoa during and immediately after meals (p<0.001), intake frequency of meat, poultry, and fish (p<0.001), number of meals (p=0.001), intake frequency of legumes (p=0.001), intake of fresh juices (p=0.002), age of introducing cow’s milk (months) (p=0.002), age at starting complementary feeding (months) (p=0.004), intake frequency of molasses (p=0.004), intake frequency of vegetables and fruits (p=0.045).
Based on these findings it is concluded that
It could be concluded that IDA is more prevalent among infants at 12 months as 61.0 % of them were suffering from IDA, 18.0% was underweight, 12.0% were stunted, 23.8% were wasted and 3.2% were overweight.
Many factors have been proved to play an important role in the prevalence of IDA, particularly mothers’ knowledge about proper supplementation of food of nutritional value, most of mothers of the studied sample had low general and nutritional knowledge about IDA and maternal obstetric history. All infants were vulnerable to IDA due to low socio-economic level, multiple parity, narrow spacing and repeated infection.
There was significant very weak positive correlation between Hb level and growth indicators, the low Hb level had negative effect on child’s morbidity history compared to non-anemic infants and the most predominant morbidity was cough, pharyngitis and tonsillitis in more than one third of anemic children, followed by diarrhea, common cold. The great proportion of anemic infants were suffering from parasitic infestation.
Based on these findings it is recommended that
Routine and periodic screening of Hb level of all children attending PHCs or any health facilities dealing with infants.
Determination of environmental risk factors that affecting iron deficiency and identification of children who are at risk for IDA.
Expanding strategies like iron supplementation to mothers with anemia during pregnancy and keeping track of Hb status on follow-up.
Nutritional health education of mothers concerning proper complementary feeding in terms of type of iron rich food, age of prophylactic iron supplementation, age of starting of complementary feeding & iron enhancers and inhibitors.
Family planning programs are essential in Egypt as a country with low income for better control of IDA.
Breast feeding to be encouraged and infants be exclusively breast-fed for 4 to 6 months after birth. They should be supplemented with oral iron from 4 months until appropriate iron-containing complementary foods are introduced into the diet