Moderate-to-severe anaemia among children aged 6–59 months in Nepal: An analysis from Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, 2011

IntroductionAnaemia among children is one of the major nutrition-related morbidities in developing countries. Surveillance of moderate-to-severe anaemia is recommended for the assessment of burden of anaemia in countries with high burden of anaemia. The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with moderate-to-severe anaemia among the children aged 6–59 months in Nepal based on Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2011.MethodsThis study used the dataset from the NDHS 2011. The information of last-born children whose haemoglobin was measured during the survey was used for analysis in this study. The factors associated with moderate-to-severe anaemia among children were examined using Chi-square test and logistic regression. Complex Sample Analysis was used to account for the study design and sampling.ResultsOf the 1605 last-born children aged 6–59 months, 343 (odds ratio (OR) 20.4%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 17.9–23.2%) had moderate-to-severe anaemia. Almost half (49.1%) of the children had some degree of anaemia. Mothers’ education, anaemia, ethnicity and children's age were significantly associated with moderate-to-severe anaemia among children. The mothers, who had no education (OR 3.362; 95% CI 1.485–7.611), who were suffering from anaemia (OR 3.278; 95% CI 1.884–5.704) and who were from disadvantaged Dalit ethnic groups (OR 1.739; 95% CI 1.133–2.669) were more likely to have their infants with anaemia. Similarly younger infants aged 6–11 months were more likely (OR 3.477; 95% CI 2.412–5.012) to suffer from anaemia.ConclusionThere was comparatively a high prevalence of anaemia in children aged 6–59 months. Proper treatment for mothers’ anaemia with special attention on less educated and from disadvantaged ethnic groups will help reduce the anaemic status in children.