Uptake and Determinants of Weekly Iron-folic Acid Prophylaxis among Adolescent Girls in the Rural Neighborhood of Bhubaneswar: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Background: Anemia prevalence among Indian adolescent girls increased from 53.2% to 57.2% from the National Family Health Survey 4–5. Uptake of four iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets per month was 10% and 54.3% among school-going adolescent girls in India and Odisha, respectively. The present study evaluated the uptake and determinants of weekly IFA supplementation (WIFS) uptake among adolescent girls and assessed the impact of culturally acceptable health education on its consumption. Methodology: The present cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2022 and February 2023 in rural Odisha. A multistage sampling with simple random sampling for the selection of villages and schools followed by a universal sampling of participants was used. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess the WIFS uptake and determinants, followed by the utility of a culturally relevant health education session on the uptake of IFA, whose impact on WIFS uptake was evaluated after 1 month. Results: The initial WIFS uptake was 68.7% (95% confidence interval: 63%–73%) among school-going students and absent among dropouts, increasing to 72.8% and 76.9%, respectively, 1 month after culturally appropriate health education. The key factors influencing the uptake of WIFS included the child’s level of education, consistent availability of IFA tablets, and awareness among adolescents about the importance of WIFS. Conclusion: The uptake of WIFS was low among adolescent girls belonging to the rural areas of Odisha. Providing health education, coupled with a reliable supply of IFA tablets, was shown to significantly improve WIFS participation.