Biosocial correlates of anemia in rural women of Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh

Background: Anaemia results from nutrition related causes and from inflammatory or infectious diseases, worm infestations and from blood loss. Iron deficiency anaemia resulting from inadequate intake and low absorption of dietary iron is the most common form of anaemia in India. Objective: To find out the prevalence of maternal anemia and its correlates. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 435 women of reproductive age. The women of reproductive aged 15-45 years old were included in the study. The purposive sampling method was adopted for the selection of women. Results: The prevalence of anemia was found to be 49%. The percentage of mild anemia was observed among 55.4% of the women. However, 34.3% and 10.3% of the women were moderately and severely anemic. The prevalence was higher among the women having no education. Conclusion: It is evident from the current study that the burden of nutritional anemia is high among women in the rural areas and hence, sincere efforts must be initiated adopting specific interventional measures with regard to nutritional education and anemia prophylaxis to reduce the morbidity due to anemia in the rural areas.