INTRODUCTION:

Anaemia is the most prevalent nutritional public health problem across the world affecting about half of pre-school age children and pregnant women in developing countries, while in India, it affects almost all ages and physiological groups, such as preschool children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers, because of the increased demand for iron during pre-school life and adolescent age and additional demand during pregnancy and lactation²

It is the most common cause of malnutrition in the world and is the eighth leading cause of diseases in girls and women in developing counties. About one third of the global population is anaemic (WHO 2010).³

In India, two third of women of childbearing age are estimated to suffer from iron deficiency anaemia. Reports from National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau 2002 indicate that 15% of all maternal deaths are attributed to anaemia. The highest prevalence of anaemia among women in India is a burden for them, for their families, and for the economic development and productivity of the country.³

In developing countries like India where the iron deficiency anaemia is more prevalent and high, many women conceive shortly after marriage. It is well known that pre conceptional iron deficiency has adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. During pregnancy due to inadequate iron supply to the fetes leads to intrauterine deaths, low birth weight, premature births, and the maternal mortality. World health Organization reported that the maternal mortality in India ranges from 27 to 194 deaths per 1000 live births^.4

Iron deficiency anaemia occurs more often in women than in men, the main reason is excessive loss of iron or demand of iron associated with menstruation and pregnancy.⁵Nearly 400 million women were suffering from iron deficiency anaemia world widely.⁶

In India, iron deficiency anaemia was mostly influenced by poverty, illiteracy, ignorance and lack of knowledge regarding iron deficiency anaemia and dietary requirements and nutritive value of different foods. Most of the Indian women often take food left over by their husband. In some societies, men eat first and women last and poorly.This is increasing the burden of iron deficiency anaemia among them.⁷

In India according to The National Family Health Survey. Which was undertaken between 2005-06 reports showed that, more than 55% of the women in India were anaemic. In Karnataka the incidence of anaemia among married women was about 52.7% among rural married women and 46.7% among urban married women which seems to be very high^.1

There are numerous nutritional programs existing for children, adolescents as well as for pregnant and lactating mothers to create awareness and to decrease the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia than compared with women in reproductive age. Hence the present study made an attempt to screen anaemia among the rural women (18-45 years) with a view to develop an information booklet.

OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of the study are:

1. To screen anaemia among rural women (18-45yrs) in the selected rural area of Mysore with a view to develop an information booklet

METHODOLOGY:

RESEARCH DESIGN:

The design adopted is exploratory descriptive approach

SETTINGS:

The present study was conducted in selected rural area of Mysore district.

SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE:

By Random Sampling technique 90 rural women were selected

INSTRUMENTS USED:

Section 1; Data on demographic variables:

It consisted of the following items such as age, religion, type of family, number of family members, dietary pattern, occupation, income of the family, weight and history of illness

Section 2: Screening for anemia

For Hgb determination Sahli-Hellige method was used. Using micropipette, 20 µL of blood was taken and poured into a tube containing 0.1mol/l HCl. After 10 minutes, distilled water was added drop by drop, followed by mixing until the color of the solution matched the color of the glass standard positioned alongside the dilution tube. The concentration of hemoglobin was read from the graduated scale on the dilution tube. After reading the value information booklet was distributed to those rural women.

RESULTS:

Section 1: Description of selected Personal variables of study subjects:

TABLE -1

Frequency and percentage distribution of women between the age group of 18-45years according to their personal variables n=90

Sl no.

Variables

Frequency

(f)

Percentage

(%)

Age in years

a) 18-24

b) 25-31

c) 32-38

d) 39-45

27.78

26.67

23.33

22.22

Religion

a) Hindu

b) Muslim

c) Christian

100

Types of family

a) Single

b) Joint

72.22

27.78

No. of family members

a) 1-4

b) 5-8

c)>8

55.56

4.44

Dietary pattern

a) Veg.

b) Non veg.

22.22

77.78

Occupation

a) Skilled

b) Semi skilled

c) Un skilled

4.44

65.67

88.89

Income of the family

a)<3000

b) 3001-6000

c) 6001-9000

d)>9001

4.44

26.67

24.44

44.44

Weight

a)<40

b) 41-50

c) 51-60

d)>60

4.44

38.89

44.44

12.22

History of illness

a) Diabetes mellitus

b) Hypertension

c) Anaemia

d) Nothing Significant

5.56

3.33

2.22

88.89

The data presented in the table 1 shows that majority of the women in the age group between 18-24 years, all were hindu. The majority of the women are in single type of family and family members are lee than 4 in number also most of the women are non vegetarians and involved in doing the unskilled work. The women in their families had an income of rupees more than 9000 with their body weight between 51-60 also the majority of the women had no history of significant illness.

SECTION 2:

DESCRIPTION OF RURAL WOMEN BASED ON THEIR HAEMOGLOBIN LEVEL:

The grades of anaemia according to WHO presented in table 2.

TABLE 2

Hb%

STATUS

>12mg/dl

10-12mg/dl

8-10mg/dl

<8mg/dl

Normal

Mild

Moderate

Severe

TABLE 3

Frequency and percentage distribution of rural women of age group 18-45 years according to their haemoglobin level. n=90

Status of the rural women based on the Hb%	Frequency (f)	Percentage (%)
Normal	12	13.33
Mild	29	32.22
Moderate	26	28.89
Severe	23	25.56

The data presented in the table shows that majority of the women are having mild and moderate anaemic

CONCLUSION:

Anemia is a severe public health problem among women in rural. Therefore, there it is a need to strengthen the existing national nutritional anemia control programme and the community is encouraged to consume iron rich foods through health and nutrition education and information, education and communication (IEC) activities. As a health professionals we all should gear up our activities towards solving this problem by the sincere efforts

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. The National Family Health Survey -3 (2005-06) reports. [Online] Available from: URL: http://des.kar-nic.in/ptc/MENWOMEN

2. Park. K, Textbook of preventive and social medicine, 21^st edition, M/S Banarsidas Publishers.

3. Simon, Peter, Donald. Hook worm related anemia among women:A systematic review: Journal of PLoS neglected tropical diseases 2(9) :291

4. Allen anemia and iron deficiency. Effects on pregnancy outcome. The American journal of clinical nutrition 2000 7(1):1280-84

5. Robi and cortan, Pathological basis of disease. 7 th edition Elsevier publication 643-6

6. Anemia in women [online] available from URL:http://www.biohealth.com

7. K.V Krishnadas, Text book of medicine 5^th edition Jaypee publicationsPp:164-66

Received on 17.11.2014 Modified on 02.12.2014

Int. J. Adv. Nur. Management 3(1):Jan. - Mar., 2015; Page 46-48

DOI:

Mr. Vinay Kumar G¹, Mrs. Nisha P Nair²

¹Assistant Lecturer, Community Health Nursing Department, JSS College of Nursing, Mysore

Mr. Vinay Kumar G1, Mrs. Nisha P Nair2

1Assistant Lecturer, Community Health Nursing Department, JSS College of Nursing, Mysore

Mr. Vinay Kumar G¹, Mrs. Nisha P Nair²

¹Assistant Lecturer, Community Health Nursing Department, JSS College of Nursing, Mysore