• Dereje Habte, Kalid Asrat, Mgaywa G M D Magafu, Ibrahim M Ali, Tadele Benti, Wubeshet Abtew, Girma Tegegne, Dereje Abera, and Solomon Shiferaw.
• University of Botswana, School of Medicine. dereje.habte@gmail.com
• Afr J Reprod Health. 2013 Sep 1; 17 (3): 110-8.

AbstractA total of 8260 children between the ages of 6-59 months were analyzed to identify the risk factors associated with childhood anaemia in Ethiopia. The overall mean (SD/standard deviation) haemoglobin (Hgb) level among the under-five children was 10.7 (2.2) g/dl and 50.3% were anaemic. Childhood anaemia demonstrated an increasing trend with maternal anaemia levels of mild, moderate and severe anaemia: odds ratio of 1.82, 2.16 and 3.73 respectively (p< 0.01). Children whose mothers had no formal education were 1.38 times more likely to be anaemic (p<0.01). The poorest and poorer wealth index groups had 1.52 and 1.25 increased odds of childhood anaemia respectively (p< 0.01). Childhood anaemia in Ethiopia is a severe public health problem. Maternal anaemia and socio-economic status were found to be associated with anaemia in children. A holistic approach of addressing mothers and children is of paramount importance.

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