Prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls in urban areas of Kadapa, A.P.

The prevalence of Anemia is disproportionately high in developing countries due to poverty, inadequate diet, certain diseases, pregnancy,lactation and poor access to health services. The worlds adolescent population age 1019 years estimated to stand more than 1 billion, yet adolescence remained a largely neglected, difficult to measure and hard to react population in which the needs of adolescent girls, in particular are often ignored.

1. To know the prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls. 2. To find the demographic profile among the adolescent anaemic girls.

The present cross sectional community based study was conducted in an urban field practice area of community medicine during the period of June 2008 to Nov 2008. A random sample of 248 girl's participated and house to house survey conducted. Hemoglobin Estimation was done by Sahli's method. Diagnostic criteria for anaemia was Haemoglobin level < 12 gms for non pregnant women adolescent girls and < 11 gms for pregnant adolescent girls.

The prevalence of anemia was found to be 68.95%. A significant association of anemia was found with low socio – economic status (p<0.05). High prevalence of anaemia was observed in parents of truck, auto and laborers families and which was significant(P<0.001). Prevalence of anaemia more or less same in all the age groups of adolescent age in our study.