WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Ban Ghazi Dhanoon*, Nashwan Nadhim Jaro and Isam Nazar Mohammed Al-Shammaa

ABSTRACT

Background: Anemia is defined as having a reduced red blood cell volume or hemoglobin concentration below the normal level. Anemia and micronutrient deficiencies can be made worse by intestinal helminth and hookworm infections, which can cause gastrointestinal blood loss, depletion of iron stores and inhibition of erythropoietin. Consequently, anemia and micronutrient deficiencies are made worse by the malabsorption and appetite suppression. Objectives: Is to identify the most common type of anemia among malnourished children, moreover; to assess the degree of anemia in relation to severity of malnutrition. And to illustrate the causes of anemia in malnourished children. Methods: A cross section study was conducted, from January 2023 to the end of December 2023. The study involved one hundred sixteen babies (seventy-four males and forty-two females) from different residence, they were interviewed at Ibn-Sena Teaching Hospital. The questionnaire includes four parts; part one for socio-demographic data. Part two for feeding pattern. Part three for severity of anemia. And part four for complications faced patients with nutritional anemia. Results: Among 116 children enrolled in this study, the total number of breastfed malnourished babies were 49 (42.3%) subjects, bottle feeding malnourished babies were 43 (37%) subjects and mixed feeding malnourished babies were 24 (20.7%). It had been found that normochromic normocytic anemia was found to have the highest percentage among the type of anemia in all malnourished babies. Regardless of feeding pattern the difference was statistically not significant, (p Value =0.254). The study found that mild anemia was the commonest type of anemia found within the study participants (66.3%). Among breast fed malnourished anemic babies, the study showed that malnourished anemic breast-fed babies in whom the time of added food at less than 6 months was attributed to only (12.2%), and at 7-9 months account for (26.5%), and after 9 months (61.3%) of patients. While in bottle fed malnourished anemic babies in whom the time of added food at less than 6 months account for (41.8%), and at 7-9 months account for (37.3%), and after 9 months (20.9%). Anemic malnourished children found in this study, (47.4%) were aged less than 1 year and (52.6%) were aged more than 1 year. Moreover; hypochromic microcytic anemia was found more commonly among children aged less than 1 year versus among those aged more than 1 year it was hypochromic microcytic with statistically significant difference (P value = 0.007). Conclusion: Anemia and malnutrition can occur with all patterns of feeding and this can be attributed to a number of factors like delayed added food, little or unsatisfactory food intake, severe and repeated infections, or combination of all above factors. Improved house hold food security, protecting children through improved food quality and safety, preventing specific micronutrient deficiencies, promoting breast feeding in the first 6 months of life and enhance fruit, vegetables and high iron containing diet at 6 months of age. Can be beneficial for preventing nutritional anemia in children.