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  • Title: Current prevalence and some clinical associations of childhood anaemia in urban and rural communities of central Nigeria.
    Author: Adewuyi JO.
    Journal: Cent Afr J Med; 1992 Feb; 38(2):66-72. PubMed ID: 1505012.
    Abstract:
    The current prevalence of anaemia was determined among children in the age group half to fourteen years in one urban and two rural communities in the middle belt region of Nigeria. A total of 1,775 apparently healthy and 660 sick children were investigated using capillary packed cell volume, PCV, as the diagnostic index. Packed cell volume of healthy children was found to vary between 23 pc and 48 pc. The mean PCV for the whole group was 35.90 pc but the relatively better economic and educational status of urban elite children was reflected in the higher PCV levels. Using the WHO recommended cut-off values for anaemia in children, prevalence of anaemia in the healthy children study was found to be 35.8 pc. When compared with figures recorded in Nigerian children in earlier studies, this finding represents a deterioration and occurs at a time of declining national economy. There were significant differences between groups when classified by age and socio-economic status, with the highest prevalence of 55 pc being found in the rural school-age group and the lowest of 20 pc in the economically better-off urban pre-school children. The overall prevalence of anaemia among sick children was 55 pc with the school age group having the worst value of 70 pc. In most cases, the anaemia was associated with nutritional and infectious conditions. The prevalence of anaemia was determined among children aged 6 months to 14 years in one urban and two rural communities in Kwara State, an area within the middle belt of Nigeria. 1775 apparently healthy and 660 sick children who reported ill at Rural Health Centers or at a district hospital were investigated using capillary packed cell volume (PCV) for diagnosis determined by the microhaematocrit centrifugation method. PCV of healthy children varied from 23 to 48%. The mean PCV for the whole group was 35.90%, but the children of the urban elite had a mean PCV of 36.4% while rural children had a mean PCV of 34.5%. There was a general rise of PCV with age. According to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan grouping, 1 tier comprised children aged 6 months to 2 years with a mean PCV of 33.90 +or- 3.53% while the 2nd tier included children who were aged 2 to 6-7 years with a mean PCV of 35.60 +or- 3.63% +or- 3.83%. The difference between the first group and the other two groups was statistically significant (p .05), while the difference between the pre school and school-age groups was not. Using the WHO recommended cut-off values for anaemia in children, prevalence of anaemia in healthy children was 35.8%, a deterioration when compared with earlier studies. The anaemia prevalence was 28.0% for the 1st group, and 24.0% for pre school, and 40.4% for school-age groups, respectively. There were significant differences between groups: the highest prevalence (55%) was found in the rural school-age group and the lowest (20%) in the economically better-off urban pre school children. The overall prevalence of anaemia among sick children was 55%, and the school age group had the worst value of 70%. In contrast tot he healthy children (mean PCV 35.90%), the sick children had a mean PCV of 31.70 +or- 6.95%. The prevalence of anaemia in the group of sick children was 55.7%.
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