Variations in the Prevalence of Childhood Anemia by Ethnicity Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Peru.

ABSTRACT

We aimed to determine the variations in the prevalence of childhood anemia according to the ethnic group before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru. Secondary analysis of the Demographic and Family Health Survey during 2016-2021. The outcome variable was anemia, and the exposure variable was maternal ethnicity. Also, we included sociodemographic and clinical confounding variables. We constructed generalized linear models of the Poisson family with a logarithmic link function. We evaluated 85,905 records; 30.34% had anemia, 50.83% were mestizo, 25.98% were Quechua, and 2% were Aymara. Compared with mestizos, Quechua children (PR 1.11; 95% CI 1.07-1.15; p < 0.001), Aymara (PR 1.35; 95% CI 1.27-1 .44; p < 0.001), natives of the Amazon (PR 1.20; 95% CI 1.12-1.28; p < 0.001) and those who belonged to other indigenous peoples (PR 1.29; 95% CI 1.05-1.57; p = 0.013) had a higher prevalence of childhood anemia. On the contrary, compared to mestizos, white children had a lower prevalence of anemia (PR 0.93; 95% CI 0.89-0.99; p = 0.019). During the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to mestizos, only Quechua (PR 1.15; 95% CI 1.08-1.23; p < 0.001) and Aymara (PR 1.38; 95% CI 1.23-1.55; p < 0.001) had a higher prevalence of childhood anemia. Except for Afro-descendants, children from 6 to 59 months of age who belong to an ethnic minority had a higher probability of having childhood anemia than mestizos. However, only Quechua and Aymara children had higher odds of anemia during the COVID-19 pandemic than mestizos.