Haemoglobin status of adult non-pregnant Kazakh women living in Kzyl-Orda region, Kazakhstan.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of anaemia among adult non-pregnant women in the Kzyl-Orda region of Kazakhstan, and to determine the association between haemoglobin concentration and anthropometric, socioeconomic, reproductive and dietary factors.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study using a randomly selected sample. Subjects were interviewed, and finger-prick blood samples and anthropometric measurements were collected. Associations between haemoglobin concentration and anthropometric and questionnaire data were evaluated by sequential linear regression analysis.


METHODS
Health centres in Kazalinsk, Djalagash and Zhanakorgan districts of Kzyl-Orda region, Kazakhstan.


METHODS
Three-thousand six-hundred and twenty-five non-pregnant women aged 18-45 y randomly selected from health centre records.


RESULTS
Iron deficiency anaemia, as reflected by low haemoglobin levels (Hb<12 g/dl), was detected in 40.2% of the total sample. There was a significant curvilinear relationship between haemoglobin concentration and age, with the nadir of the curve in the 30-40 y age-group. Haemoglobin concentration was found to be positively associated with body mass index (BMI) and socioeconomic factors. Significant negative associations were found between haemoglobin concentration and duration of menses, use of the intra-uterine contraceptive device and the consumption of tea.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that iron deficiency anaemia is present at considerable levels among adult women living in Kzyl-Orda region, Kazakhstan, and provides important baseline information for future research and public health interventions.


BACKGROUND
Funding was provided by the United States Agency for International Development, Office of Nutrition, the United Kingdom Department for International Development, and the Polden-Puckham Trust.
Dangour
A D
AD
Department of Biological Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. add22@cam.ac.uk
Hill
H L
HL
Ismail
S J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D007623:Kazakhstan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008598:Menstruation; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013662:Tea / Q000009:adverse effects
D006454:Hemoglobins; D013662:Tea