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Subject Area

Internal Medicine

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most prevalent cause of anemia among Egyptian children and is associated with a range of hematologic and non-hematologic complications, some of which may be irreversible. This study aims to evaluate the clinical profile and identify factors associated with severe IDA in primary school–aged children.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 420 primary school–aged children diagnosed with IDA who attended the outpatient clinic of Salamoun El-Qumash Family Medicine Centre. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. All participants underwent a thorough clinical examination and laboratory evaluation, including a complete blood count and serum ferritin measurement.

Results: The 420 enrolled primary school–aged children with IDA had a mean age of 8.08 ± 1.34 years. Among studied children, 301 (71.7%) had mild, 92 (21.9%) had moderate, and 27 (6.4%) had severe IDA. The mean serum ferritin level was 13.1 ± 7.0 ng/mL, and the mean hemoglobin concentration was 10.7 ± 1.1 g/dL. Failure to receive deworming treatment within the preceding six months and inadequate maternal food literacy were identified as independent predictors of severe IDA in the studied children.

Conclusion: Comprehensive intervention programs emphasizing the importance of regular deworming and the enhancement of maternal food literacy skills should be implemented using diverse public media strategies through coordinated efforts between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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