A CROSS- SECTIONAL STUDY ABOUT STATUS OF ANEMIA AND ITS SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN AN URBAN FARIDKOT, PUNJAB, INDIA

Backgroundand Objective:Anemiais a major public health problem among adolescent girls, with significant consequences for health, education, and future maternal outcomes.Objective of this study to estimate the prevalence of anemia and assess itsassociation with socio-demographic factors among adolescent girls.Materials and Methods:A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 290 adolescent girls aged 10–19 years in the urban field practice area of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College & Hospital, Faridkot. Participants were selected through simple random sampling. Data on socio-demographic characteristics were collected using a pretested questionnaire. Hemoglobin estimation was done using Sahli’s method. Associations were tested using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.Results:The overall prevalence of anemia was 90.7%. Of these, 31.7%had mild anemia, 57.6%moderate anemia, and 1.4%severe anemia. Anemiaprevalence was significantly higher among girls from lowerSES categories (p <0.001) and among those whose mothers (p=0.046) had lower educational levels.Conclusion:Anemia remains highly prevalent among adolescent girls in urban Faridkot, with strong associations with low SES and parental education. Targeted interventions focusing on nutrition education, iron-folic acid supplementation, and socioeconomic upliftment are urgently required.