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The prevalence of anaemia and associated factors among pregnant women in Tongod and Kinabatangan districts
Glen Wendell Sibadogil1, Aza Sherin Mohamad Yusuff2, Shahrezza Suhaimi Rinin3.
Introduction: Anaemia in pregnancy is a major cause of disability worldwide, with a prevalence of more than 20% in >80% countries worldwide. Of those affected, roughly 50% are due to iron-deficiency anaemia, but there is some variation across different populations due to local culture and practices. Anaemia affects 38% of pregnant women worldwide, while in Malaysia the prevalence is 35%. The study aim is to determine the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women in 2 rural districts in Sabah as well as knowledge, attitude and practices towards anaemia in these women. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was done in Tongod and Kinabatangan Districts involving 217 pregnant women at 35-37 weeks of gestation who attended antenatal check-up at 6 government clin-ics in these districts. An interview using a standardized questionnaire was conducted by community nurses at the respective clinics. Sociodemographic and antenatal details was collected, including information about knowledge, attitude and practices toward anaemia. The Chi-square test was used to compare anaemia at 36 weeks with select-ed sociodemographic and antenatal factors, as well as KAP factors. Results: The mean age of women in the study was 28.4 ± 5.9 years, and the mean haemoglobin level at around 36 weeks age of gestation was 11.0 ± 1.1 g/dL. Prevalence of anaemia in these women was 52%. Most of the answers in the KAP section reflected the relatively high awareness about anaemia in pregnancy and methods to lessen its effects. A significant association was found between anaemia at 36 weeks and monthly family income, defaulting on iron supplements, caffeine beverages taken with meals, and dietary restrictions (p = 0.010, 0.001, 0.001, and 0.017 respectively). Conclusion: The high preva-lence of anaemia among pregnant women in these 2 districts reflects the practices of these women despite high levels of knowledge of anaemia. More effort needs to be done to apply this knowledge to decrease anaemia in pregnant women in rural areas.
Affiliation:
- Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia
- Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia
- Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia
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Indexation |
Indexed by |
MyJurnal (2021) |
H-Index
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3 |
Immediacy Index
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0.000 |
Rank |
0 |
Indexed by |
Scopus 2020 |
Impact Factor
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CiteScore (0.2) |
Rank |
Q4 (Medicine (all)) |
Additional Information |
SJR (0.144) |
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