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Knowledge, belief and attitude of low‐income postpartum women about anemia and iron supplementation
Author(s) -
Mitra Amal K,
Khoury Amal J
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.634.16
Subject(s) - anemia , medicine , iron supplement , iron deficiency anemia , low income , pregnancy , micronutrient , hemoglobin , childbirth , iron deficiency , environmental health , obstetrics , pediatrics , physiology , biology , sociology , genetics , pathology , socioeconomics
Prevalence of anemia after childbirth is high in low‐income women. As part of treatment of anemia in low‐income women after delivery, we assessed women's knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about anemia, sources of iron, and effect of iron deficiency. Using a cluster sampling design, 959 women were assigned to one of the three treatment strategies: 1) Controls, who were offered the conventional selective anemia screening among high‐risk women after delivery; 2) Group I (Universal anemia screening): All low‐income women were screened for anemia, and anemic women were given iron tablets; 3) Group II (Universal supplementation): All women in this group received a 60 mg iron tablet daily for 2 months, irrespective of their hemoglobin status. Nearly 45% women knew that anemia is common in women after delivery. More than 55% women mentioned that vitamin C helps in iron absorption, whereas 72% were wrong saying that foods lose iron when cooked in large amounts of water. Their knowledge about sources of iron was mixed. They correctly mentioned dried beans (75%) and green vegetables such as broccoli, peas and spinach (85%) as good source of iron. However, only 25% mentioned it correctly that chicken meat is a good source of iron. Majority of the women knew that low iron increases chance of infection (76%), makes people tired (83%), and decreases their memory (83%). They also believed that low iron does not help them deliver a healthy baby (84%). Nearly 78% of women expressed that all pregnant women should take iron supplements. The study was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC‐NCCDPHP‐TS‐0780).