Sex of household head and other household determinants of childhood anaemia among households in Ghana: regression analysis of the 2019 Malaria Indicator Survey

Abstract

Background: Childhood anaemia is still a major public health concern. Although the prevalence of anaemia among children under age five is reducing in Ghana, the severity level is still worsening. This study sought to examine and compare household factors affecting the anaemia status of children under age five living in male- and female-headed households in Ghana.

Methods: The study used a weighted sample of 5,799 household heads from the 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey (GMIS). A binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effect of sex of household heads and other household factors on the anaemia status of children under the age of five in male- and female-headed households in Ghana. All analyses were conducted at the 95% confidence level.

Results: The results showed that a higher proportion (83.0%) of children under age five are not anaemic in households in Ghana. However, the probability of a child being anaemic is higher in male-headed households (aOR = 1.28; C.I:1.08-1.51), in the poorest (aOR = 2.41; CI: 1.59-3.65), poorer (aOR = 2.04; C.I:1.41-2.94) and middle (aOR = 1.78; C.I:1.29-2.46) household wealth category. Higher likelihood of anaemia was found among children in households that used charcoal (aOR = 1.51; C.I:1.15-1.99) and fuelwood (aOR = 1.44; C.I:1.02-2.02) for cooking. Similarly, there is a high probability of childhood anaemia in households with 5-10 members (aOR = 4.49; C.I: 3.78-5.34), 11 or more members (aOR = 7.21; C.I: 4.60-11.31) and household residing in northern part of Ghana (aOR = 1.40; C.I:1.07-1.83). The lower odds of being anaemic were recorded among children whose household heads were aged 40 years and older, household using other cooking fuels (aOR = 0.49; C.I: 0.21-0.78) and household with no bednets (aOR = 0.57; C.I: 0.44-0.74).

Conclusions: The GMIS data suggest that anaemia and its severity are higher among children living in MHH than among those living in FHH. The results indicate that poverty, a higher number of household members, relatively younger male household heads and the type of cooking fuel used were factors accounting for the differences in childhood anaemia in MHH and FHH. Equal attention should be given to MHH and FHH in terms of programmes and interventions aimed towards preventing and reducing childhood anaemia in Ghana.

Keywords: Childhood anaemia; Children under age five; Female-headed household; Ghana; Household factors; Male-headed household.