Prevalence, characteristic and hematologic profile of anemia cases among stunting children in a Jakarta Secondary Hospital

Introduction: In 2022, WHO reported that 148.1 million children were stunting. Indonesia reported having a high number of stunting cases (31%) in 2022. While anemia is the most common comorbidity in stunting children, addressing these conditions requires comprehensive assessment. This study aims to determine and analyze the prevalence, characteristics, and hematological picture of anemia in stunting children. Methods: A descriptive study conducted at Sumber Waras Hospital in West Jakarta, Indonesia in January-December 2023. The population was children aged 1–59 months in 2023, with a total 46 cases of stunting. The indicators assessed were sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory parameters, such as age, gender, weight, height, hemoglobin level, MCV, MCH, MCHC, hematocrit, erythrocytes, platelets, leukocytes, comorbidities, number of siblings, parental education, maternal occupation, mother's age, and economic status. The results were provided in descriptive analysis with an appropriate statistical approach. Results: The prevalence of anemia in stunting children was 56.6%. The majority of anemia cases were mild (37%), while no severe anemia was observed. The respondents were predominantly male, aged below 24 months, 60.9% received exclusive breastfeeding, were born full term, and had a normal birth weight and length. The group of stunting children with anemia were mostly underweight, had more than 1 siblings, lower parents' educational backgrounds, mothers' ages around 20–34 years, a mother's work as a housewife, and low socio-economic conditions. Pneumonia and acute gastroenteritis are the two most common diseases in both groups. Hematological analysis revealed that stunted children with anemia had lower median of MCV, MCH, MCHC, and hematocrit, suggesting hypochromic microcytic anemia. Conclusion: The findings indicate a need for targeted interventions, including nutritional support and infection management, to address anemia in stunted children. Further large-scale studies are required to confirm these results and explore additional risk factors.