Risk Factors of Childhood and Maternal Anemia in India

Anemia is a common nutritional problem, and it has a remarkably high prevalence rate in Southeast Asia. We analyzed a sample of 112,714 mothers aged 15 to 49 years and their children younger than 5 years from the 2005-2006 Indian National Fertility and Health Survey with available data on anemia to determine the anemia statuses and risk factors associated with maternal and childhood anemia. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with anemia. The overall prevalence of maternal anemia was 52.0%, while the overall prevalence of childhood anemia was 66.7%. Predictors of maternal anemia are a young age (p < .001), maternal health practices (p < .001), and reproductive health-related infections (p < .001), among others. On the other hand, predictors of childhood anemia included iron deficiency (p = .007), vitamin deficiency (p = .003), and common infections (p = .008). Other predictors of childhood anemia included poor dietary intake (p < .01) and childcare practices (p < .001). Childcare practice has the strongest association with childhood anemia with an odds ratio of 1.67 (95% confidence interval [1.55, 1.79]). With respect to maternal anemia, the strongest risk factor was being infected with reproductive health infections with an odds ratio of 1.157 (95% confidence interval [1.11, 1.21]). Interventions designed to address prevalence of childhood and maternal anemia in India should take the risk factors in a holistic manner. A multifactorial framework should guide such interventions.