ANEMIA AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN LIVING IN KOLOJI CAMPS OF FAFAN ZONE OF SOMALI REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Anemia during pregnancy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of pregnant women in developing countries and has both maternal and fetal consequences. The regional estimates of anemia among pregnant women living in refugee settings are limited. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with anemia among the pregnant women living in internally displaced camp of Qoloji in Somali, Ethiopia. Objective: To assess prevalence of anemia and associated factor among pregnant women living in internally displaced camp of Qoloji in Somali Regional State, Ethiopia from February 1-29, 2024. Methods: Acommunity based cross-sectional study design was employed from February 1-29, 2024 among 390pregnant women living in internally displaced camp of Qoloji. Data was collected by local enumerators through an interview in the local language of the pregnant women. Data was entered to EpiData version 3.1 and exported to STATA 17for analysis. Using both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis, the associations of anemia among pregnant women were assessed. Both crude and adjusted odds ratios together with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed to see the strength of association between the outcome and independent variables. A p value of < 0.05 was considered to declare the result as statistically significancy in multivariable logistic regression model. The multicolinearity was checked with VIF and Hosmer–Lemeshow test was performed for model fitness in the final model. Result: A total of 380 pregnant women were included in this study making a response rate of 97.5%. The overall prevalence of anemia in this study was 42.11% (95% CI = 37.2%–47.1%). Among the anemic pregnant women, 52 (32.5%), 83 (51.88%), and 25 (15.63%) had mild anemia (Hgb ranges 10.0–10.9 g/dL), moderate anemia (Hgb ranges 7.0–9.9 g/dL), and severe anemia (Hgb < 7.0 g/dL), respectively. Educational status of pregnant women (AOR=3.94, 95%CI: 2.10- 7.37), gestational age(AOR=4.55, 95%CI: 1.46- 14.23), history of blood loose( AOR=7.84, 95%CI: 3.90-15.74), meal frequency perday(AOR=2.03, 95%CI:1.16- 3.56), frequently taking coffee or tea immediately after meal (AOR=8.02, 95%CI: 3.75- 17.16) and iron and folic acid supplementation (AOR=5.14, 95%CI:2.78- 9.50) were significantly associated with anemia at p value <0.05. Conclussion: The prevalence of anemia from this study was a regarded as severe public health problem based on WHO cut off values. Educational status of pregnant women, gestational age, history of blood loose, meal frequency perday , frequently taking coffee or tea immediately after meal and iron and folic acid supplementation were significantly associated with anemia among pregnant women.