Screening System Development for Anemia Prevention in Children Aged 6 Months to 5 Years

Screening System for Anemia Prevention in Children

Abstract

Iron deficiency anemia in early childhood is a common public health problem in Thailand. It affects children’s  physical development, cognitive function, and long-term  quality of life. Although clinical practice guidelines  recommend anemia screening and iron supplementation,  implementation at the primary care level often faces  challenges such as a lack of structured systems, non-standardized equipment, and limited confidence among  healthcare personnel. This action research aimed to develop and evaluate the outcomes of an anemia screening system  for the prevention of anemia in children aged six months to  five years. The study was conducted from December 2022 to May 2023. The study was conducted on 20 maternal and child healthcare personnel and 300 parents of children. The  developed system comprised three main components:  standardization of equipment, personnel development, and  improvement of the service delivery system. The results  showed that the screening rate increased by 48.9%, iron supplementation rose from 81% to 92.9%, and the  prevalence of anemia decreased from 30% to 25%. Staff  satisfaction was at a high level (mean = 4.49, SD = 0.45), as  was parents’ satisfaction (mean = 4.60, SD = 0.44). In  conclusion, the developed system improved operational  efficiency, reduced anemia prevalence, and clearly  enhanced satisfaction among stakeholders.