1Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Teerthanker Mahaveer Medical College and Research Center, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, Kumawat.ricky@gmail.com
2Professor and HOD, Department of Pharmacology, Teerthanker Mahaveer Medical College and Research Center, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
*Corresponding author email id: drpsmatreja@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 29 November, 2018.
Nutritional knowledge and awareness among students is considered as an important tool for promoting a healthy lifestyle but has not been studied as a determinant, especially in India, where evidence about awareness regarding anaemia especially iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is scarce and has been linked to increases in morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of causation, prevention and to some extent the treatment of IDA among medical students (MS) and paramedical students (PMS).
This was a prospective, comparative, parallel group where observational study to be conducted among 200 MS and PMS, who were divided into two groups (Group A-MS, Group B-PMS). The knowledge and awareness was assessed by a validated 12-question-based questionnaire.
The mean age was 20.17±0.87 years in Group A vs. 20.7±1.18 years in Group B. Students from both the groups gave correct response for the mineral responsible for deficiency of anaemia and the laboratory test required to diagnose anaemia but lacked the knowledge of dietary source that could prevent anaemia. A significantly higher number of students from Group B were not aware of definition of anaemia. Our study clearly reflected on both MS and PMS groups and found they had poor knowledge of IDA and its treatment. Moreover, MS had even poorer knowledge than PMS, inspite of that they are being better informed and taught regarding the importance of iron and the need to take iron supplements, that mean being MS and having book readings only doesn't provide you practical knowledge of nutritional deficiency such as IDA.
There is an urgent need to provide practical and theoretical knowledge regarding nutritional deficiencies such as IDA via different media and learning-based methods. The government needs to provide mass awareness and mass screening of IDA and counselling for IDA especially among school going girls and women of reproductive age.
Iron deficiency anaemia, Nutritional awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Medical Students, Paramedical Students
