Time trends in anemia and associated factors in two age groups (6-23 and 24-59 months) in Pernambuco State, Brazil, 1997-2006

Abstract

Data from two health and nutrition surveys were used to analyze times trends in anemia and associated factors in children 6-23 and 24-59 months of age in Pernambuco State, Brazil. The samples totaled 777 and 993 children 6-59 months of age in the 2nd PESN/1997 and 3rd PESN/2006 surveys, respectively. The exploratory variables were grouped into five hierarchical levels: socioeconomic factors; economic index and environmental index; maternal factors; health and nutritional care; and morbidity and nutritional status, analyzed by Poisson logistic regression. From the first to the second survey, anemia prevalence decreased by 11.7% and 33.4%, respectively, for children 6-23 and 24-59 months of age. In the time trend analysis, only the lower tertile of the environmental index remained as a determinant factor for anemia in children 6-23 months of age, and the lower tertile of the economic index remained statistically significant in children 24-59 months of age. The study concludes that the decrease in anemia was more significant in the 24-59 month age group.