EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE HEMOGLOBIN STATUS IN PRESCHOOLERS RECEIVING ONCE-WEEKLY IRON SUPPLEMENTATION

The effect of weekly iron supplementation with and without deworming o n hemoglobin was investigated in a double-masked, placebo-controlled f ield trial. Subjects were 289 preschoolers who were randomly divided i nto three groups. Groups 1 and 2 received 30 mg Fe once weekly and gro up 3 received a placebo. Group 1 additionally received anthelminthic t reatment. Supplements were administered by the mothers, who were educa ted about iron deficiency beforehand. In the iron-supplemented groups prevalence of anemia decreased from 37.2% to 16.2% (P < 0.001). Hemogl obin increased by an average of 6.9 +/- 9.8 g/L in the two iron-supple mented groups (n = 191), which was greater (P < 0.001) than the increa se of 1.9 +/- 8.0 g/L in the placebo group. None of the subjects had h ookworm, and anthelminthic treatment did not have an additional effect . Iron supplements administered once weekly by mothers reduced anemia without major involvement of health staff.