A study on the impact of various interventions on the prevalence of nutritional anemia among medicos of g.s.v.m. Medical college, kanpur

Abstract

Research Question : What is the impact of varius interventions on the prevalence of nutritional anemia among medical students? Objectives : To study the prevalence of nutritional anemia among medical students. To study the impact of interventions like deworming, iron and folic acid supplementation and nutrition and health education on the prevalence of nutritional anaemia among medicos. Study Design : Prospective study Study Setting : Department of Community Medicine, GSVM Medical College, Kanpur Study Subject : Under-graduate MBBS students belonging to admission years of 2000, 2001, 2002. Study Period : March 2002 to May 2003 Study Variables : Age, sex, dietary habits, Hb - concentration Statistical Analysis : Percentage and chi-square test. Results : Out of 496 volunteered students, 335 (67.5%) were males & 161 (32.5%) were females. Overall prevalence of anemia was 23.9% Among total anemic cases, 89.0% had mild grade anemia. Out of total anemic cases, 89.9% (males 84.4% & females 93.2%) were having nutritional anemia while 10.1% had non-nutritional anemia. Prevalence of nutritional anemia was 21.5% (42.8% in females& 11.3% in males). Nutritional anemia was 45.1% in vegetarians & 8.41% in non-vegetarians. Among 5.6% students with history of passing worms in stools, 46.4% were nutritionally anemic. At end of 3 months of first phase of interventions (Deworming + health and nutrition education) only 7.5% nutritionally anemic cases had shown increase in Hb concentration while at end of 6 months of second phase of interventions (iron & folic acid tablets supplementation + health and nutrition education), 78.5% anemic cases had shown increase in Hb concentration and became non-anemic. 12.85% nutritionally anemic cases remained anemic even after 6 months of interventions.