Prevalence of Anemia among National School and Provincial School Students in Jaffna Educational Zone

Sahithya.R¹, Balakumar.S¹, Kandeepan.K¹, Vasanthy Arasaratnam¹, Kumanan.T²

Department of Biochemistry, Department of Medicine, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT

This study was done to find out the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among G.C.E Advanced Level students in Jaffna Zonal schools and to provide current prevalence rates of anemia among the students of National schools and Provincial schools in Jaffna zonal schools based on haemoglobin levels.
The study included a population of 433 students of G.C.E Advanced Level aged 17 to 18 years. Haemoglobin levels were measured and hypothetically tested. The prevalence of anemia among National and Provincial school students are 30.3% and 34.4% respectively. Over all anemia prevalence is 32.8 percent. There are no severe anemic (Hb < 7 g/dL) students in this population. It was observed that anemia affects the overall nutritional status of adolescence. Prevalence of anemia among National school boys and girls were 15.4 and 46% respectively, where as those in Provincial school is 24.8 percent for boys and 42.2 percent in girls. 35% of anemia prevalence was found in the students who are from urban area, whereas 30.5% of prevalence of anemia found in students who come from rural area.

Source: Jaffna Science Association - Abstracts of Research papers - Volume 19