Abstract:

Data was collected from inpatients of a charitable multispeciality rural hospital

with 400 beds at Anantapur , A.P. The study was for a period one month, April
2010.The was prevalence of anemia due to various reasons , Totaling 205 per
month. The lowest age was one year and the highest was 74 years. Average
hemoglobin levels were 8.9g/dl (range 2-10.9). Common reasons for anemia
were nutritional deficiency (7%) and increased iron requirements in pregnant
womens and in the young age females who are adolescent stage (34%).
Different age groups affected with anemia include 1-10yrs (6.8%),11-20yrs
(31.2%), 21-30yrs (35.2%), 31-40yrs(7.8%), 41-50yrs (6.8%), 6.8% (51-60yrs),
5% (61-70+trs). According to severity, 59 (28.7%) had mild anemia, 124 (60.4%)
had moderate anemia and 22%(10.9%) had severe anemia.

Introduction:
In india, anemia affects an estimated 50 percent of the population.1

Normally women are not aware of their tendency of being anemic. They don’t
have any complaints otherwise. It is only when they come for blood test for
some disease, we find that they are anemic,” said Dr. R S Chatarjee, Sr
Consultant of Rockland Hospital , New Delhi.

According to WHO estimates, INDIA is one of the countries in the world that has
highest prevelance of anemia.2 The prevelance of anemia ranges from 33% to
89% among pregnant women and is more than 60% among adolescent girls.3

Anemia is classified as mild, moderate or severe based on the concentrations of

hemoglobin in the blood. Mild anemia corresponds to a level of hemoglobin
concentrations of 10.0-10.9 g/dl for pregnant women and children under age 5
and 10.0-11.9 for non pregnant women. For all of the tested groups, moderate
anemia corresponds to a level of 7.0-9.9 g/dl, while severe anemia corresponds
to a level less than 7.o g/dl.4
Methods:
A retrospective study was carried out for one month, April 2010 in charitable
multi specialty rural hospital in Anantapur to determine the prevalence of
anemia in all age groups of females by evaluating the hemoglobin levels of all
women patient’s medical records. We collected the 205 cases in one month ,and
collected the data regarding age, hemoglobin value and reason for admission of
female patients of all ages, from 1year to 74years.And we used the common
average calculation formula to determine the average of hemoglobin .It was a
retrospective study, so detailed prospective study of type of anemia and their
prevalence in females and will be needed.

Results and Discussion:

Mean hemoglobin level was 8.9gms/dl (range 2-10 gms/dl) common reasons for
anemia are increased requirements of iron in pregnancy (34%) and and
adolescent girls, nutritional deficiency (7%) and remaining different age groups
affected with anemia include 6.8%(1-10yrs), 31.2%(11-20yrs),35.2%(21-
30yrs)7.8%(31-40yrs),6.8%(41-50yrs), 6.8%(51-60yrs), 5%(61-70yrs).

Hemoglobin average of different age group women were 1-10yrs (8.6%),11-

20yrs(8.3%),21-30yrs(9.2%),31-40(9.2%),41-50trs(9.2%),51-60(9.0%),61-
70+yrs(8.9%).

Mild anemia affected patients were 22(10.9%), moderate anemia affected

patient were 124(60.4%), severe anemia affected patients are 59(28.7%).

This study reveals that in over all patients 34% were pregnant women affected
with anemia. The high prevalence of anemia was high in 11yrs to 30yrs age
groups women. 60.4% of women were affected with moderate anemia.
 Our study also says that prevalence of anemia is more in pregnant and
adolescent girls, same as the study of Dr.Toteja i.e. Prevelence of anemia
among pregnant women and adolescent girls in 16 districts of india. [1] It was
may be due to women didn’t take care themselves due to family responsibilities,
menstruation, increased iron requirements in the growth stage and pregnancy
and also lack of nutrition due to economic problems. Our study also reveals
that the prevalence of anemia is less in women above 61yrs and old age women
in India, but Dr.Guralnik study says that the rate of anemia was high in
65years and older people In united states. [1]

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) in 2005-2006, reveals that Dr.
Ananth Mohan of All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), New Delhi, he
says that many patients admitted due to the lack of consciousnes especially
regarding the cause of the disease is one of the main reasons of preponderance
of anemia .[3]

Dr R S Chatterjee, Sr Consultant of Rockland Hospital, New Delhi says that the

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most prevalent form in India, but “Lack of
consciousness among women aggravates the situation, as now a days, they
attach more importance to loosing weight.” [3]

Conclusion:
There is very high prevalence of anemia in women in Anantapur. Commonly
anemia is more in pregnants women (Age 20-30 years) and, women with
nutrition deficiency and presence of other diseases. Most of the women had
moderate anemia.

Reference:
1. Guralnik J.M, Eisenstaedt R.S, Ferrucci L et al. Prevalence of anemia in
persons 65 yrs and older I n the United States: Evidence for a high rate of
unexplained anemia. Blood 2004; 104(8):2263-2268.

2. Dr.Toteja GS, Singh P, Dhillon BS,et al. prevalence of anemia among pregnant
women and adolescent girls in 16 districts of India. Food Nutr Bull 2006;
27(4):311-5.

3. Anemia is on the rise in INDIA says NFHS report. Posted in express INDIA: Jul
17, 2008 http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Anemia-is-on-the-rise-in-
India-says-NFHS-repORT/336854/(Retrived on 20/09/2010).

4. Kariyeva G.K, Magtymova A. Anemia. http:

//www.nfhsindia.org/data/india/indch7.pdf(retrived on 20/09/2010).
Prevalence of anemia among pregnant women and
adolescent girls in 16 districts of India.
Toteja GS, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Saxena BN, Ahmed FU, Singh RP, Prakash B, Vijayaraghavan K, Singh
Y, Rauf A, Sarma UC, Gandhi S, Behl L, Mukherjee K,Swami SS, Meru V, Chandra P, Chandrawati, Mohan
U.
Indian Council of Medical Research, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi. gstoteja@yahoo.com

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nutritional anemia is one of India's major public health problems. The prevalence of
anemia ranges from 33% to 89% among pregnant women and is more than 60% among adolescent girls.
Under the anemia prevention and control program of the Government of India, iron and folic acid tablets are
distributed to pregnant women, but no such program exists for adolescent girls.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the status of anemia among pregnant women and adolescent girls from 16 districts
of 11 states of India.
METHODS: A two-stage random sampling method was used to select 30 clusters on the basis of probability
proportional to size. Anemia was diagnosed by estimating the hemoglobin concentration in the blood with
the use of the indirect cyanmethemoglobin method.
RESULTS: The survey data showed that 84.9% of pregnant women (n = 6,923) were anemic (hemoglobin <
110 g/L); 13.1% had severe anemia (hemoglobin < 70 g/L), and 60.1% had moderate anemia (hemoglobin >
or = 70 to 100 g/L). Among adolescent girls (n = 4,337)from 16 districts, the overall prevalence of anemia
(defined as hemoglobin < 120 g/L) was 90.1%, with 7.1% having severe anemia (hemoglobin < 70 g/L).
CONCLUSIONS: Any intervention strategy for this population must address not only the problem of iron
deficiency, but also deficiencies of other micronutrients, such as B12 and folic acid and other possible causal
factors.
PMID: 17209473 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Anemia is on the rise in India, says
NFHS report
Agencies Posted: Jul 17, 2008 at 1358 hrs
New Delhi, July 17: Adolescence in India goes hand in hand with iron-deficiency anemia, medically known as
IDA, says the latest NFHS report.

While 56 per cent of adolescent girls are anemic, boys too are falling prey to the disease. Around 30 per cent of
adolescent boys are suffering from anemia, the report states.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), conducted in 2005-06, presents the statistics that mark a growth in
cases pertaining to anemia.

Most of the anemic patients, especially women, suffer from mild to severe deficiency of iron. The hemoglobin
count in most of the adolescent girls in India is less than the standard 12 g/decilitre, the standard accepted
worldwide.

The doctorspeak is, although well known to all, anemia rarely features our regular check-up list. “Normally women
are not aware of their tendency of being anemic. They don’t have any complaints otherwise. It is only when they
come from blood test for some disease, we find that they are anemic,” said Dr R S Chatterjee, Sr Consultant of
Rockland Hospital, New Delhi.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most prevalent form in India, but “Lack of consciousness among women
aggravates the situation, as now a days, they attach more importance to loosing weight.” he says.

Dr Anant Mohan of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi admits that lack of consciousness,
especially regarding the cause of the disease, is one of the main reasons of preponderance of anemia.

“ While heavy menstrual bleeding in adolescent girls cause anemia, intestinal worms and intake of mildly toxic
elements by children, like paint and mud also facilitate the disease. It is very important to provide a child with iron
supplements in order to protect him or her from anemia,” he says.

His words are all the more significant in context of the NFHS report that shows prevalence of anemia in children in
India is as high as 79 per cent.

In Uttar Pradesh alone, 85 per cent of children under the age of three years suffer from deficiency of iron, a leap of
11.3 per cent from the figures in NFHS 2, conducted in 1998-99.
But women within the age group of 25 to 49 suffer the most. The prevalence of the ailment can be well ascertained
by the following incident. An all-woman social welfare group in New Delhi, ‘Vanita Samaj’ arranged a blood
donation camp sometime back. But all the 13 middle-aged members of the group were barred from the serving the
cause of philanthropy; none of them were found fit enough to donate blood.

The reason - all the members were suffering from some or the other ailment.

Anemia, the commonest one, topped the list.

The bliss of motherhood thrives under the looming presence of anemia in India.

At a time when India is working relentlessly in order to achieve 9 per cent GDP growth, the fairer sex and children
continue as an entity largely uncared-for.

According to WHO estimates, India is one of the countries in the world that has highest prevalence of anemia.