DETERMINANTS AND PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA IN YOUNG CHILDREN ATTENDING THIKA LEVEL-5 HOSPITAL

Iron is critical for proper growth, health, and cognitive development in children, with deficiencies impacting academic performance and productivity later in life. Despite its importance, data on iron deficiency anemia (IDA) among children aged 6–23 months are limited, as most studies focus on older children or dietary selection of iron-rich foods. This cross-sectional analytical study assessed the prevalence and determinants of IDA among 241 children attending the well-baby clinic at Thika Level 5 Hospital in May 2013. Children were systematically sampled, and data were collected via caregiver interviews, venous blood samples for hemoglobin, red cell width, and mean cell volume, and follow-up home visits to quantify food utensils. Dietary intake was analyzed using Nutri-survey, anthropometry with ENA for SMART, and statistical analysis with SPSS v20. Results showed low adherence to feeding guidelines, with minimum dietary diversity at 34%, minimum meal frequency at 58%, and minimum acceptable diet at 58%. The overall prevalence of IDA was 73.2%, with a mean hemoglobin of 8.3 ± 2.3 g/dL, indicating severe anemia. Binary logistic regression revealed significant associations between IDA and malaria (OR=2.95, p=0.013), helminthic infestation (OR=3.87, p=0.001), and immunization status (OR=2.98, p=0.032). Other determinants included child’s age, caregiver education and occupation, complementary feeding practices, dietary iron intake, sanitation practices, presence of stagnant water, and deworming. The study underscores the urgent need for targeted awareness campaigns promoting proper complementary feeding and iron-rich diets for mothers of young children, to mitigate IDA prevalence and improve child health outcomes