Variations and Determinants of Anemia among Reproductive Age Women in Five Sub-Saharan Africa Countries
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Hindawi
Abstract
Background. The Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 2014 report indicates that anemia among women in their reproductive
age in the country stood at 42 percent, making it a severe public health problem according to the World Health Organization
(WHO) classification. WHO Global Observatory data indicates that some sub-Saharan African countries have been able to
reduce the prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age compared to Ghana in 2016. To inform policy decisions,
data from the Demographic and Health Surveys 2014–2018 were analyzed to determine the disparities in the prevalence of
anemia and related factors among women of reproductive age in Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Methods.
This research utilized data from the Demographic and Health Surveys 2014, 2016, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016 from
Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, respectively. Respondents were women aged between 15 and 49 years.
Hemoglobin levels were measured by HemoCue hemoglobin meter. 45,299 women data were extracted from the five countries
with 4,644, 14,923, 6,680, 13,064, and 5,988 from Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, respectively. Association
between anemia and selected predictive variables was assessed using Pearson’s chi-square test statistic. Poisson regression with
robust standard errors was used to estimate the prevalence rate ratios of developing anemia. The deviance goodness of fit test
was employed to test the fit of the Poisson model to the data set. Results. There was a statistically significant difference in
prevalence of 1,962 (42.3%), 3,527 (23.6%), 1,284 (19.3%), 5,857 (44.8%), and 1,898 (31.7%) for Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda,
Tanzania, and Uganda, respectively, χ2 = 2,181:86 and p value < 0.001. Parity, pregnancy status, and contraceptives significantly
increased the prevalence rate ratio of a woman developing anemia. Women in Ethiopia with a parity of six or more were 58%
more likely to develop anemia than those with parity of zero. Tanzanian women who were pregnant had a 14% increased rate
ratio of developing anemia. Factors that significantly decreased anemia in this study were wealth index, women’s age, and
women’s highest level of education. Women who were in the higher education category in Ethiopia were 57% less likely to
develop anemia. Ugandan women in the richest category of the wealth index were 28% less likely to develop anemia. Rwandan
women in the middle category of the wealth index were 20% less likely to develop anemia. Women who were within the 45-49
age category in Ethiopia were 48% less likely to develop anemia. Conclusion. The individual country governments should
encourage the implementation of increasing female enrollment in higher education. Women in their reproductive age should be
encouraged to use modern contraceptives to reduce their anemia prevalence.
Description
Research Article