A survey of the iron anaemia status in the Grenadian population - abstract

Community studies, over the past 15 years, have demonstrated that anaemia is a public health problem in Grenada. In November 1984, an all-island survey was conducted in Grenada to study the prevalence, types and causes of anaemia in that island. Anaemia existed in all age and sex groups. A high prevalence was found in ante-natal and post-natal women and in pre-school age children. In these groups, 63 percent, 47 percent and 43.7 percent, respectively, were found to have haemoglobin levels less than those recommended by WHO. Eighty per cent of pre-school age children, 12-23 months of age, had haemoglobin levels of less than 11 g/dl. Plasma ferritin levels were found to be low in all age and sex groups, the highest prevalence being in post-natals where 62 percent had plasma ferritin levels below 12 æg/l; 60 percent of pre-school age children had ferritin levels less than 12 æg/l. It was also found that 72.2 percent of pre-school children who were anaemic, according to WHO haemoglobin standards, had plasma ferritin levels below 12 æg/l. The percentage of other age and sex groups who were both anaemic and had a plasma ferritin level below 12 æg/l ranged from 23 percent to 67 percent. The results of the study indicated that iron deficiency and anaemia are still public health problems in Grenada (AU)

Assessment of the iron status of the Grenadian population

Reports on the findings of a survey into the iron status of the population of Grenada which was undertaken for the purpose of quantifying the national prevalence rate, identifying the vulnerable groups, clarifying the major aetiological factors and guiding decisions relating to intervention programmes. Previous studies and health statistics over the years had demonstrated that anaemia is a serious public health problem in Grenada. This survey was done with a stratified sample of 400 hundred households representing major population divisions identified in the 1980-1981 population census. The survey confirmed that anaemia is indeed prevalent in all age and sex groups in Grenada, with unacceptably high levels being recorded in the vulnerable groups. i.e. pre-school children and women in the childbearing age. Suggests that further study is needed to fully understand the types of anaemia existing in Grenada. Recommends that the introduction of screening for anaemia of pre-school children attending child welfare clinics and supplementation given as necessary and that a nutrition education programme dealing specifically with the problem of anaemia be developed