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. 2024 Dec 19;28(1):e6.
doi: 10.1017/S1368980024002222.

Subnational mapping of anaemia and aetiologic factors in the West and Central African region

Kaleab Baye  1   2 , Bayuh Asmamaw Hailu  3 , Simeon Nanama  4 , John Ntambi  4 , Arnaud Laillou  4
Affiliations

Subnational mapping of anaemia and aetiologic factors in the West and Central African region

Kaleab Baye et al. Public Health Nutr. .

Abstract

Objectives: Despite bold commitments to reduce anaemia, little change in prevalence was observed over the past decade. We aimed to generate subnational maps of anaemia among women of reproductive age (WRA), malaria transmission and hemoglobinopathies to identify priority areas but also explore their geographical overlap.

Design: Using the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), we first mapped anaemia clusters across sub-Saharan Africa and identified the West and Central Africa (WCA) as a major cluster. Geographic clusters with high anaemia and related aetiologic factors were identified using spatial statistics. Multilevel regression models were run to identify factors associated with any, moderate and severe anaemia.

Settings: West and Central African countries (n 17).

Participants: WRA (n 112 024) residing in seventeen WCA countries.

Results: There was a significant overlap in geographical clusters of anaemia, malaria and hemoglobinopathies, particularly in the coastal areas of the WCA region. Low birth interval (0·86 (0·77, 0·97)), number of childbirth (1·12 (1·02, 1·23)) and being in the 15-19 age range (1·47 (1·09, 1·98)) were associated with increased odds of any anaemia. Unimproved toilet facility and open defecation were associated with any anaemia, whereas the use of unclean cooking fuel was associated with moderate/severe anaemia (P < 0·05). Access to healthcare facility, living in malaria-prone areas and hemoglobinopathies (HbC and HbS) were all associated with any, moderate or severe anaemia.

Conclusion: Interlinkages between infection, hemoglobinopathies and nutritional deficiencies complicate the aetiology of anaemia in the WCA region. Without renewed efforts to integrate activities and align various sectors in the prevention of anaemia, progress is likely to remain elusive.

Keywords: Anemia; Etiology; Hemoglobinopathy; Infection; Malaria; Women.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors had no conflict of interest to declare

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
High anaemia clusters in sub-Saharan Africa (a) and the trend in anaemia prevalence (%) in West Africa for women of reproductive age. Values represented by the bar charts are median (quartile 1, quartile 3); data are from fifteen West African countries with post-2010 DHS data. WHA, World Health Assembly.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mapping of anaemia (any) prevalence (a) and case-load density (b) in West and Central African countries, by severity.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
HbS (a), HbC (b), G6PD (c) and malaria (d) significant geographic clusters.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Overlap between clusters of temperature suitable for malaria (a), HbS (b), HbC (c), G6PD (d) and anaemia.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Factors significantly associated with any anaemia (a) and moderate/severe anaemia, adjusted multilevel regression model. All values are statistically significant (P < 0·05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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