IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIOECONOMIC VULNERABILITY.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of anemia with the socioeconomic vulnerability of preschoolers in public day care centers, in the city of Taubaté, SP, Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample that analyzed 363 children assisted in public day care centres in low-income and high-income areas of Taubaté, SP, Brazil. The hemoglobin concentration (Hb), dependent variable, was obtained by digital puncture, considering anemic children with Hb concentration <11.0 g/dL. The independent variables such as socioeconomic and demographic conditions were collected by a semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was 19.3% among preschoolers. Children from day care centers with high socioeconomic vulnerability had lower Hb concentration than those from a non-vulnerable area (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The lower concentration of hemoglobin in preschoolers is associated with the location of day care centers in an area of socioeconomic vulnerability. Children attending these day care centers face adverse family conditions such as low income, working mothers, and mothers with low schooling, though they receive social benefits and monitoring by public health services.

Iron deficiency anemia and its relationship with socioeconomic vulnerability / Anemia por deficiência de ferro e sua relação com a vulnerabilidade socioeconômica

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the association of anemia with the socioeconomic vulnerability of preschoolers in public day care centers, in the city of Taubaté, SP, Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample that analyzed 363 children assisted in public day care centres in low-income and high-income areas of Taubaté, SP, Brazil. The hemoglobin concentration (Hb), dependent variable, was obtained by digital puncture, considering anemic children with Hb concentration <11.0 g/dL. The independent variables such as socioeconomic and demographic conditions were collected by a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was 19.3% among preschoolers. Children from day care centers with high socioeconomic vulnerability had lower Hb concentration than those from a non-vulnerable area (p<0.05). Conclusions: The lower concentration of hemoglobin in preschoolers is associated with the location of day care centers in an area of socioeconomic vulnerability. Children attending these day care centers face adverse family conditions such as low income, working mothers, and mothers with low schooling, though they receive social benefits and monitoring by public health services.

RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar a associação da anemia com a vulnerabilidade socioeconômica de pré-escolares de creches públicas da cidade de Taubaté, SP, Brasil. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal com amostra probabilística que analisou 363 crianças assistidas em creches públicas de regiões de baixa e alta renda de Taubaté. A concentração de hemoglobina (Hb), variável dependente, foi obtida por meio de punção digital, considerando anêmicas as crianças com concentração de Hb<11,0 g/dL. As variáveis independentes como condições socioeconômicas e demográficas foram coletadas por questionário semiestruturado. Resultados: A prevalência de anemia por deficiência de ferro foi de 19,3% entre os pré-escolares. As crianças das creches de elevada vulnerabilidade socioeconômica apresentaram concentração de Hb estatisticamente menor do que aquelas de região não vulnerável (p<0,05). Conclusões: A menor concentração de Hb em pré-escolares está associada à localização das creches em região de vulnerabilidade socioeconômica, uma vez que as crianças que frequentam tais creches enfrentam condições adversas familiares, como baixa renda, mães que trabalham e com baixa escolaridade, embora recebam benefício social e acompanhamento pelos serviços públicos de saúde.

Family Health Strategy and prevalence of anemia in women in an urban region of high Human Development Index / Estratégia de Saúde da Família e prevalência de anemia em mulheres de uma região urbana de alto Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano

INTRODUCTION: Iron deficiency anemia is a major public health problem. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the hemoglobin value and the prevalence of anemia in women in reproductive age, mothers of children enrolled in municipal day care centers in a municipality with a high Human Development Index, in the Southeast region of Brazil, and related factors, including being attended by the Family Health Strategy. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study with a sample of 230 women between 15 and 49 years old. Data collection was performed through a form, addressing socioeconomic variables and maternal health. It was verified: weight, height and hemoglobin concentration dosage. : The prevalence of anemia in women was 9.6%, with an average hemoglobin concentration of 14.6 g / dL. In the bivariate analysis, the following variables were associated with anemia: age, having a disease, obstetric complications in the pregnancy of the studied child and, as a protective factor, being in the Family Health Strategy program. In the binary logistic analysis, only being met by the Family Health Strategy proved to be a significant protective effect against anemia (OR = 0.391, p <0.05). CONCLUSION: Although there is a slight prevalence of anemia, according to World Health Organization criteria, in urban areas with a high Human Development Index, well-conducted health care policies, the Family Health Strategy in particular can contribute to further reduce plus the prevalence of this condition in the health of women of reproductive age.

INTRODUÇÃO: Anemia ferropriva é um importante problema de saúde pública. OBJETIVO: Analisar o valor de hemoglobina e a prevalência de anemia em mulheres em idade reprodutiva, mães de filhos inscritos em creches municipais de um município com alto Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano, na região Sudeste, além de fatores a elas relacionados, incluindo serem atendidas pela Estratégia de Saúde da Família. MÉTODO: Trata-se de um estudo transversal com amostra constituída por 230 mulheres entre 15 e 49 anos de idade. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de formulário, abordando variáveis socioeconômicas e saúde materna. Verificaram-se: peso, estatura e dosagem da concentração da hemoglobina. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de anemia nas mulheres foi de 9,6%, com média de concentração da hemoglobina de 14,6g/dL. Na análise bivariada, mostraram associação com anemia as variáveis: idade, ter alguma doença, intercorrências obstétricas na gestação da criança estudada e, como fator de proteção, estar no programa Estratégia de Saúde da Família. Na análise binária logística, apenas ser atendida pela Estratégia de Saúde da Família demonstrou ser significante efeito protetor frente à anemia (OR=0,391, p<0,05). CONCLUSÃO: Apesar de haver uma prevalência leve de anemia, pelo critério da Organização Mundial da Saúde, em área urbana de alto Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano, políticas de atenção à saúde e bem conduzidas, a Estratégia de Saúde da Família em particular, podem contribuir para reduzir ainda mais a prevalência desse agravo na saúde das mulheres em idade reprodutiva.

Nutritional Status Trends in Brazilian Preschoolers: A Cohort Study.

Background: Determining trends in the nutritional status of children may guide care prevention beyond this age in an effort to reduce the prevalence and incidence of overweight and/or obese children. The objective of this study is to evaluate the evolution of the nutritional status of preschool children in two moments, with an interval of 2 years. Methods: This is a cohort study of a random probabilistic sample of preschool children attending public schools within an urban area of high human development index city, in the hinterland of São Paulo state. In 2016, we reassessed the nutritional status of 351 preschoolers evaluated in 2014, comparing the prevalence of overweight according to BMI >1 z-score. Results: The prevalence of overweight was 31.05% (2014) and 31.06% (2016) and mean BMI z-scores were 0.58 and 0.57, respectively. The nutritional status classification of the preschool children showed almost no agreement between the two time points (κ = 0.053). Nevertheless, children with overweight in 2014 had a relative risk of 1.96 of being overweight or obese in 2016 (p = 0.0473). Conclusions: Prevalence of overweight among preschoolers was the same at 2 and 5 years of age, with no tendency to grow. Despite this, 2-year-old preschoolers with overweight present a twofold higher relative risk for excessive weight at 5 years of age. These changes of nutritional status at preschool age evince the great flexibility of their nutritional condition during this period of life.