Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Sep 11:2022:1382940.
doi: 10.1155/2022/1382940. eCollection 2022.

Burden and Determinants of Anemia among Under-Five Children in Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sisay Eshete Tadesse  1 , Aregash Abebayehu Zerga  1 , Tefera Chane Mekonnen  1 , Abay Woday Tadesse  2 , Fozia Mohammed Hussien  1 , Yitbarek Wasihun Feleke  1 , Melaku Yalew Anagaw  3 , Fanos Yeshanew Ayele  1
Affiliations
Review

Burden and Determinants of Anemia among Under-Five Children in Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sisay Eshete Tadesse et al. Anemia. .

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, anemia among under-five children is a serious public health problem. Even if there are pocket studies here and there, there is limited evidence on the pooled prevalence of anemia among under-five children in Africa. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the pooled prevalence and determinants of anemia. Methods and Analysis. This systematic review and meta-analysis was done following the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search was made in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, HINARI, and Ethiopian Journal of Health Development for studies published since 2009. It was supplemented with Google Scholar search. Study selection, data extraction, and quality of studies were assessed by eight reviewers. The Cochrane Q test and I 2 test statistic were used to test the heterogeneity of studies. A random-effects model of DerSimonian-Laird method was used.

Result: A total of 37 articles were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of anemia among under-five children in Africa was 59% (95% CI: 55, 63). Being female (AOR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.87), maternal education (AOR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.31, 1.66), residence (AOR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.95), and family size (AOR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.98) were the determinants of anemia among African under-five children. Conclusion and Recommendation. This pooled study revealed that anemia was a severe public health problem. Sex, maternal education, residence, and family size were the determinants of anemia. Therefore, anemia prevention strategy should include sex consideration, educating mothers through youth education, area specific intervention, and encouraging birth spacing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis, June 2020.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot for pooled prevalence of anemia among under-five children in Africa, 2009–2020.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Funnel plot to detect the publication bias regarding prevalence of anemia, 2009–2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Geneva S., Organization W. H. Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System . Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011. Haemoglobin concentrations for the diagnosis of anaemia and assessment of severity.
    1. Habibzadeh F. The control of non-communicable diseases in rural Iran. Lancet . 2012;379(9810):6–7. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61678-4. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Wardlaw T. M. Low Birthweight: Country, Regional and Global Estimates . New York, NY, USA: Unicef; 2004.
    1. Mardones F., Rioseco A., Ocqueteau M., et al. Anemia in pregnant women from the community of puente alto, chile. Revista Medica de Chile . 2003;131(5):520–525. - PubMed
    1. Who C. WHO Global Database on Anaemia . Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2008. Worldwide prevalence of anaemia 1993–2005. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43894 .

LinkOut - more resources