Factors Associate with Anemia in Early Childhood, Health Region 5

Abstract

This study is a descriptive research aimed to the factors associated with anemia in early childhood, Health region 5. The methodology was secondary data from the study of important factors affecting growth and the model of promoting the full potential growth of Thai early childhood, Bureau of Nutrition, Department of Health. The sample consisted of 532 early childhood. The tools used in the research was parents interview form, maternal and child health notebook and hemoglobin was measured with a HemoCue®. The data were analyzed using Binary Logistic Regression statistics. Results: 25.0% of anemia in early childhood were aged 6 months-5 years, divide by 6 months-2 years had anemia 35.5% and 2-5 years had anemia 20.7%. Factors associated with anemia in early childhood were statistically significant with residential area (OR = 1.57, 95%CI: 1.00-2.46, p<0.05) and child age range (OR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.01- 2.94, p<0.05). Recommendation from the study, public health services and local government organizations should be a surveillance system to prevent anemia and malnutrition as well as organizing health literacy activities for parents or caregivers in early childhood were aged 6 months-2 years.