Anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at UNRWA schools: a cross-sectional study
Objective Children entering first grade at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools in West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria complete a comprehensive medical examination at UNRWA health centres (HCs) as a requirement for their acceptance...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2020-09-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/9/e034705.full |
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| author | Yassir Turki Wafaa Zeidan Akihiro Seita Majed Hababeh Nada AbuKishk Suha Saleh Shatha Albaik Zoheir el-Khatib Nimer Kassim Hasan Arab Khawalah Abu-Diab |
| author_facet | Yassir Turki Wafaa Zeidan Akihiro Seita Majed Hababeh Nada AbuKishk Suha Saleh Shatha Albaik Zoheir el-Khatib Nimer Kassim Hasan Arab Khawalah Abu-Diab |
| author_sort | Yassir Turki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective Children entering first grade at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools in West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria complete a comprehensive medical examination at UNRWA health centres (HCs) as a requirement for their acceptance. Our study aimed to assess anaemia prevalence and undernutrition indicators among new entrant school children during their preschool medical examination.Settings In 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional study in 59 UNRWA HCs, targeting children entering first grade at UNRWA schools in four of UNRWA’s countries of operation (known as fields), namely Gaza, West Bank, Syria and Lebanon.Participants 2419 completed the study. Boys and girls living inside or outside Palestine refugee camps were included. Verbal consent was obtained from their parents.Primary and secondary outcome measures Sociodemographic and anthropometric data on each child were collected. Underweight (weight-for-age z-score <−2 SD), stunting (height-for-age z-score <−2 SD), thinness (body mass index-for-age z-score <−2 SD) and obesity (body mass index-for-age z-score >+2 SD) were examined according to WHO growth indicators (5–10 years).Results 2419 students (1278 girls and 1141 boys) aged 6.1±0.4 years were examined. The prevalence of anaemia (haemoglobin (Hb) <11.5 g/L) was 25.0% (Gaza: 29.3%; West Bank: 22.0%; Syria: 30.0%; Lebanon: 18.3%). The mean Hb level was 12.0±0.9 g/L. The overall prevalence of stunting, thinness and underweight was 3.2%, 3.5% and 5.6%, respectively, with the highest levels found in Syria (4.3%, 6.3% and 10.1%, respectively). The highest prevalence of overweight was in Lebanon (8.6%), and the lowest was in Gaza (2.6%). Significant differences were found among fields with regard to undernutrition indicators (p=0.001). Also, children with anaemia had significantly higher prevalence of being underweight (5.2%) in comparison with those without anaemia (p=0.001).Conclusions The prevalence of anaemia among the surveyed children increased to 25.0%, compared with the previous study conducted by UNRWA in 2005 (19.5%). Thus, it is recommended that Hb testing be included in the medical examination of new entrant school children attending UNRWA schools. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e10787fef2d54d6cab300845831f147e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
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| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-e10787fef2d54d6cab300845831f147e2025-01-07T11:10:11ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-09-0110910.1136/bmjopen-2019-034705Anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at UNRWA schools: a cross-sectional studyYassir Turki0Wafaa Zeidan1Akihiro Seita2Majed Hababeh3Nada AbuKishk4Suha Saleh5Shatha Albaik6Zoheir el-Khatib7Nimer Kassim8Hasan Arab9Khawalah Abu-Diab10Health Department, UNRWA HeadQuarters, Amman, JordanHealth, UNRWA Jordan, Amman, JordanDepartment of Health, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Jordan, Amman, JordanHealth Department, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Amman, JordanHealth Department, UNRWA Jordan, Amman, JordanHealth Department, UNRWA HeadQuarters, Amman, JordanHealth Department, UNRWA HeadQuarters, Amman, JordanHealth, UNRWA, Gaza, Palestine, State ofHealth, UNRWA, Beirut, LebanonHealth Department, UNRWA HeadQuarters, Amman, JordanHealth, UNRWA, Jerusalem, Palestine, State ofObjective Children entering first grade at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools in West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria complete a comprehensive medical examination at UNRWA health centres (HCs) as a requirement for their acceptance. Our study aimed to assess anaemia prevalence and undernutrition indicators among new entrant school children during their preschool medical examination.Settings In 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional study in 59 UNRWA HCs, targeting children entering first grade at UNRWA schools in four of UNRWA’s countries of operation (known as fields), namely Gaza, West Bank, Syria and Lebanon.Participants 2419 completed the study. Boys and girls living inside or outside Palestine refugee camps were included. Verbal consent was obtained from their parents.Primary and secondary outcome measures Sociodemographic and anthropometric data on each child were collected. Underweight (weight-for-age z-score <−2 SD), stunting (height-for-age z-score <−2 SD), thinness (body mass index-for-age z-score <−2 SD) and obesity (body mass index-for-age z-score >+2 SD) were examined according to WHO growth indicators (5–10 years).Results 2419 students (1278 girls and 1141 boys) aged 6.1±0.4 years were examined. The prevalence of anaemia (haemoglobin (Hb) <11.5 g/L) was 25.0% (Gaza: 29.3%; West Bank: 22.0%; Syria: 30.0%; Lebanon: 18.3%). The mean Hb level was 12.0±0.9 g/L. The overall prevalence of stunting, thinness and underweight was 3.2%, 3.5% and 5.6%, respectively, with the highest levels found in Syria (4.3%, 6.3% and 10.1%, respectively). The highest prevalence of overweight was in Lebanon (8.6%), and the lowest was in Gaza (2.6%). Significant differences were found among fields with regard to undernutrition indicators (p=0.001). Also, children with anaemia had significantly higher prevalence of being underweight (5.2%) in comparison with those without anaemia (p=0.001).Conclusions The prevalence of anaemia among the surveyed children increased to 25.0%, compared with the previous study conducted by UNRWA in 2005 (19.5%). Thus, it is recommended that Hb testing be included in the medical examination of new entrant school children attending UNRWA schools.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/9/e034705.full |
| spellingShingle | Yassir Turki Wafaa Zeidan Akihiro Seita Majed Hababeh Nada AbuKishk Suha Saleh Shatha Albaik Zoheir el-Khatib Nimer Kassim Hasan Arab Khawalah Abu-Diab Anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at UNRWA schools: a cross-sectional study BMJ Open |
| title | Anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at UNRWA schools: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at UNRWA schools: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at UNRWA schools: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at UNRWA schools: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at UNRWA schools: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | anaemia prevalence in children newly registered at unrwa schools a cross sectional study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/9/e034705.full |
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