Nutrition Factors Associated to the Prevalence of Anemia in Children Under Five Years in Ghana Using Demographic and Health Survey Abigail Adjei Mensah * Project Mentor(s): Kelly Pritchett, PhD; Nicole Stendell-Hollis, PhD; Tafere Belay, PhD Anemia is a serious public health emergency in the globe, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and it is among the leading causes of disabilities in the world. It has negative impact on children’s physical and cognitive development and increases their risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes in later life. Based on WHO classification, anemia is a severe public health concern in Ghana, with the factors contributing to it being multifaceted. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the major risk factors that contribute to anemia among children aged 6–24 months (younger group) and 25– 59 months (older group). This study used the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) dataset, which included 3658 children aged 6 to 59 months. Multilevel binary logistic regression model was used to examine the risk factors for childhood anemia, and significance was determined at p < 0.05. The overall weighted prevalence of anemia was 49.1%. Based on groups, the younger and older groups had 60.4% and 41.7% prevalence, respectively. The risk factors specific to the younger group were breastfeeding status, maternal education, and cooking fuel, while gender, fever, underweight, maternal pregnancy, and birth order were significant to the older group. Key factors that were significant for both groups were maternal anemia, type of toilet facility, religious affiliation, and type of residence. Anemia prevalence also varied by region. There are various factors that are unique to each age group, and thus, interventions should be
tailored to the nutritional and developmental needs of each group. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation (May 21, 9:30am–3:00pm) Keywords: Anemia, Children, Ghana, Risk factors SOURCE Form ID: 50
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