ANEMIA IS A MAJOR PUBLIC-HEALTH PROBLEM IN TANZANIA

The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of anaemia in adults in rural and urban areas of Tanzania with particular respect to males. A total of 8579 subjects aged 15 years and over were invest igated in 8 rural villages from 3 regions and another 1458 in 2 urban areas in Dar es Salaam. Of males, 29.8% were anaemic (Hb<13 g/dl) in t he most prosperous rural area, 47.9% in the city, and 73.5% and 79.9% in the two poorer rural areas. In the latter, 25.1% and 26.3% had valu es below 11 g/dl. Equivalent values for females were 25.8%, 62.6% (urb an), 80.5% and 80.1% (Hb<12 g/dl) with 2.1%, 16.5% (urban), 16.9% and 26.8% less than 10 g/dl. Pregnant women (n = 257) had significantly lo wer Hb levels than non-pregnant females. In males anaemia was more pre valent in the old. The prevalence of anaemia was higher in the poorer rural areas than in most previously reported studies in Africa. In par ticular our results emphasize that anaemia is a major problem in males in Tanzania and could have a significant economic and health impact.