THE PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF ANEMIA AMONG YOUNG-CHILDREN AND WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE IN AL AIN, UNITED-ARAB-EMIRATES

During 1992 and 1993, 309 children aged 1-22 months (mo) and their mot hers visiting an immunization facility in Al An city, Abu Dhabi Emirat e, United Arab Emirates, were studied to (1) define blood haemoglobin (Hb) levels; (2) estimate the prevalence of anaemia; (3) examine the r ole of iron deficiency in causing anaemia; (4) identify the correlates of anaemia prevalence; and (5) assess the acceptability to parents of an anaemia screening test for their young children. The levels of Hb in all subjects and the levels of serum ferritin in anaemic (Hb < 11 g /dl) children aged greater than or equal to 6 mo and in non-pregnant w omen with Hb < 11 g/dl were determined by a HemoCue Photometer and an enzyme immunoassay, respectively. Each woman was interviewed to obtain pertinent data. In children, anaemia was detected in 3% of those aged 1-2 mo (Hb < 9 g/dl), in 8% of those aged 3-5 mo (Hb < 10 g/dl), and in 25-39% of those aged greater than or equal to 6 mo (Hb < 11 g/dl). Of 19 children tested, ten (53%) were iron-depleted (serum ferritin < 12 mu g/l). After multivariate adjustment, the only significant positi ve correlate of anaemia in children was older age (1-5 mo vs 6-22 mo; odds ratio [OR]: 9.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.92-23.08). Anae mia was detected in 14% of pregnant women (Hb < 11 g/dl) and 16% of no n-pregnant women (Hb < 12 g/dl). After multivariate adjustment, signif icant or suggestive positive correlates of anaemia in women were great er number of pregnancies (1-3 vs greater than or equal to 7; OR: 3.49; 95% CI: 1.33-9.15) and longer usual duration of menstrual periods (le ss than or equal to 4 days vs greater than or equal to 8 days; OR: 3.5 4; 95% CI: 0.95-13.12). Of five non-pregnant women tested, three (60%) were iron-depleted. These results indicate that iron deficiency is pr obably the predominant cause of anaemia in young children and women of reproductive age in Al An. Only about 10% of all eligible parents we approached refused to have their young children screened for anaemia b y a test that required a capillary blood sample. The widespread preval ence of anaemia and, probably, iron depletion in young children and wo men of reproductive age in Al An underscores a need for the reinforcem ent of existing programmes and the introduction of new programmes aime d at the prevention, early detection and correction of anaemia in thes e two groups.