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BACKGROUND Globally, iron deficiency anemia is a problematic nutritional deficiency health-related issue that impacts early-adulthood people such as university students. The aim was to asses female nursing students’ knowledge concerning iron deficiency anemia in the College of Nursing, University of Baghdad. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional survey was carried out from the period of June 18, 2023 to December 20, 2023. Nonprobability (purposive) samples of 100 female nursing students were selected from the second, third, and fourth stages in the College of Nursing, University of Baghdad. Data collection included students’ sociodemographic characteristics, and students’ knowledge questionnaire consists of “20” constructed questions, which included the students’ knowledge about iron deficiency. The knowledge questionnaire has been developed through reading textbooks and review of the literature for the related topic. The data have been analyzed through the application of descriptive and inferential analysis and using SPSS version 26. RESULTS The finding of the study revealed that the level of female students’ knowledge regarding iron deficiency anemia based on the total mean score of M(SD) = 1.33 (0.39) showed a poor level. Also, there is a significant association between students’ age and academic stage with their level of knowledge of iron deficiency anemia, P = 0.028. CONCLUSION The female nursing students at the University of Baghdad had a poor level of knowledge about iron deficiency anemia, and this can be attributed to their academic stage in the College of Nursing. There is a significant association between students’ age and academic stage with their iron deficiency anemia knowledge. Faculty of nursing should increase female students’ health awareness and their understanding, knowledge, motivation, and perception regarding iron deficiency and how to prevent it.
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© 2024 Journal of Education and Health Promotion | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow 1
Knowledge-related iron deciency
anemia among undergraduate nursing
female students in the University of
Baghdad
Massara A. Najm, Ali Hussein Alek Al-Ganmi, Ahmed Fleih Hassan
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Globally, iron deciency anemia is a problematic nutritional deciency health-
related issue that impacts early-adulthood people such as university students. The aim was to asses
female nursing students’ knowledge concerning iron deciency anemia in the College of Nursing,
University of Baghdad.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out from the period of June 18,
2023 to December 20, 2023. Nonprobability (purposive) samples of 100 female nursing students were
selected from the second, third, and fourth stages in the College of Nursing, University of Baghdad.
Data collection included students’ sociodemographic characteristics, and students’ knowledge
questionnaire consists of “20” constructed questions, which included the students’ knowledge about
iron deciency. The knowledge questionnaire has been developed through reading textbooks and
review of the literature for the related topic. The data have been analyzed through the application of
descriptive and inferential analysis and using SPSS version 26.
RESULTS: The nding of the study revealed that the level of female students’ knowledge regarding
iron deciency anemia based on the total mean score of M(SD) = 1.33 (0.39) showed a poor level.
Also, there is a signicant association between students’ age and academic stage with their level of
knowledge of iron deciency anemia, P = 0.028.
CONCLUSION: The female nursing students at the University of Baghdad had a poor level of
knowledge about iron deciency anemia, and this can be attributed to their academic stage in the
College of Nursing. There is a signicant association between students’ age and academic stage
with their iron deciency anemia knowledge. Faculty of nursing should increase female students’
health awareness and their understanding, knowledge, motivation, and perception regarding iron
deciency and how to prevent it.
Keywords:
Iron deciency anemia, knowledge, undergraduate nursing students
Introduction
Worldwide, anemia due to iron deciency
is the most common hematologic
disorder.[1] Anemia is a global public health
problem impacting over 1.62 billion people
globally, accounting for approximately 25%
of the global population.[2]
A recent study from Saudi Arabia stated
that the majority of female Saudi students
who attended colleges have anemia. Iron
deciency anemia is common, indicating
that these students get this sickness very
often with a prevalence ranging from 20%
to 39.9%.[3] According to the World Bank’s
report, 38% of pregnant women in Iraq were
estimated to have anemia.[4] A recent cross-
sectional study conducted in Iraq stated that
Department of Adult
Nursing, College of
Nursing, University of
Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Original Article
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DOI:
10.4103/jehp.jehp_422_24
How to cite this article: Najm MA, Al-Ganmi AH,
Hassan AF. Knowledge-related iron deciency
anemia among undergraduate nursing female
students in the University of Baghdad. J Edu Health
Promot 2024;13:498.
This is an open access journal, and arcles are distributed
under the terms of the Creave Commons Aribuon-
NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others
to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially,
as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creaons
are licensed under the idencal terms.
For reprints contact: WKHLRPMedknow_reprints@wolterskluwer.com
Address for
correspondence:
Dr. Ali Hussein Alek
Al-Ganmi,
Department of Adult
Nursing, College of
Nursing, University of
Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
E-mail: ali.h@conursing.
uobaghdad.edu.iq
Received: 04-03-2024
Accepted: 09-05-2024
Published: 28-12-2024
Najm, et al.: Undergraduate nursing student knowledge about Iron deciency anemia
2 Journal of Education and Health Promotion | Volume 13 | December 2024
anemia affects 56% of the female population.[5] A lack of
iron can have a number of negative effects on the adults
since iron is essential for the delivery of oxygen to tissues
and the elimination of carbon dioxide.[6] In Iraq, anemia
poses a serious challenge to public health, necessitating
more government intervention in the form of targeted
health education campaigns.[7]
Iron deciency anemia is the most prevalent nutritional
illness around the world, affecting women and girls of
reproductive age of the increased iron requirements
associated with pregnancy and menstruation, particularly
in those who have heavy menstrual bleeding.[8] Iron is
one of the important minerals in the human body,
and it has a major role in the process of transporting
oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body by means
of hemoglobin, which is found in red blood cells, and
constitutes two-thirds of the source of iron within the
body. Hence, iron deciency affects the various functions
of the body, starting from brain functions and the end
of the immune system and its ability to ght infection.[9]
Often, anemia is the presenting sign of a more serious
underlying condition which if left untreated can generate
consequent morbidity. It is crucial for women, especially
those who are young, to have knowledge about anemia
and related information on the signicance of nutrition
and self-efcacy to enhance their awareness about the
disease.[10]
Knowledge decit can lead to unfavorable or negative
attitudes and behaviors among females, which can
be reected in unhealthy eating habits in day-to-day
life, making it one of the risk factors for anemia.[11] A
recent descriptive study conducted in 2023 found that
92.9% of young women with anemia in Yemen have
knowledge decit regarding iron deciency.[12] Another
community-based study conducted in Pakistan among
medical female students indicated that 52% of them
were having adequate knowledge on iron deciency
anemia.[13] Nonetheless, there have been limited studies
regarding nursing student knowledge on iron deciency
anemia in Iraq, specically focused on female students
who are in the stages of physiological, nutritional, and
behavioral changes that may directly affect their health.
To our knowledge, there are no studies that have been
conducted in Iraq to assess the knowledge of iron
deciency anemia among university students despite
the high prevalence. Hence, this study aimed to assess
knowledge about iron deciency anemia among female
nursing students in Baghdad City, Iraq.
Materials and Methods
Study design and setting
A descriptive cross-sectional survey design to assess
knowledge about iron deciency anemia among female
students who are attending the College of Nursing,
University of Baghdad, Iraq, between June and December
2023.
Study participants and sampling
A nonprobability (purposive) sampling of 100 female
students in the second, third, and fourth stages who
are attending the College of Nursing, University of
Baghdad, was conducted. Participants aged 18 years
old and above and those who wished to take part in the
study were included after accepting and signing the
informed consent form. The study excluded those who
cannot communicate or comprehend due to any medical
illnesses and who refused to participate and sign the
informed consent.
Data collection tools and technique
A structured paper-based self-report questionnaire
was used for data collection and administered via an
interviewing technique by the researchers/interviewers.
All survey questionnaires were completed through face-
to-face interviews. The questionnaire was designed,
developed, and constructed by researchers after reviewing
the related literature. The questionnaire was written in
simple Arabic language and contained two parts. The
first part included participants’ sociodemographic
characteristics such as age, marital status, level of
education, family history of anemia, housing, and
sources of information. Part 2 included the female
students’ knowledge about iron deciency anemia. The
content validity of the instrument format is established
through the jury opinion of the panel of experts in the
nursing field who were the faculty members in the
College of Nursing, University of Baghdad. They were
asked to review the questionnaire and whether they were
multiple choice questions (20 items). The questionnaire
consisted of 20 questions divided into two levels,
scored as (correct = 2, wrong = 1). A scoring system was
followed to assess knowledge of female students about
iron deciency anemia. The questionnaire contained 20
points and categorized into two level as follows. Each
correct answer was given 2 points, and the incorrect
answers were given 1 point. It was considered that ≥50%
(21:40 grades) indicated a satisfactory level of knowledge.
<50% (1:20 grades) indicated an unsatisfactory level of
knowledge. The self-report of the questionnaire and
interview took approximately 10–15 minutes for each
nurse. A 0.5 level of signicance was used as a standard
to determine if there was a signicant difference in the
student’s knowledge according to age, marital status,
level of education, family history of the student, housing,
and sources of information.
Ethical considerations
Data collection was started after getting approval from
the University of Baghdad, College of Nursing authority,
Najm, et al.: Undergraduate nursing student knowledge about Iron deciency anemia
Journal of Education and Health Promotion | Volume 13 | December 2024 3
and ethical approval was obtained from the Scientic
Research Ethical Committee of College of Nursing
authority, University of Baghdad, before starting the
study. In addition, oral approval was obtained from
each participant who agreed to share in this study.
Prior to data collection, participants were asked to sign
an informed consent form, indicating that they have
been informed about the study, its objectives, and their
rights to refuse or accept participation. Condentiality
of the participants’ information was respected, and
only the researchers and the ethics committees have
the right to access the data and reported as group data.
The questionnaire was anonymous, and the data were
analyzed groupwise, so there was no link between results
of this study and any of the individual participants. The
privacy of the respondents was maintained by preparing
and setting the place and time for data collection. Ethics,
values, cultural backgrounds, and beliefs were respected.
Data analysis
Data were analyzed through the use of the Statistical
Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0.
Sociodemographic data were analyzed descriptively and
continuous data were presented as means and standard
deviation. The value of P < 0.05 was taken as statistically
signicant. Data were categorized, scored, tabulated,
and analyzed using the appropriate statistical methods.
Descriptive statistics was utilized, with frequencies,
means, standard deviations, and test of signicances.
Quantitative data were expressed as means and standard
deviations. Chi-square (χ2) test of signicance was used in
order to compare proportions between study variables.
A pilot study was conducted including ve older adults
within the inclusion criteria to check for clarity of the
questionnaire and time required. It was concluded that
no major changes were required in the questionnaire and
the participants were able to answer the questionnaire
without any major difculties. Data from the pilot study
were not included in the nal analysis.
Results
Table 1 shows that 75% of the study participants were
within the age ranging between 19 and 21 years, 93%
were unmarried, 40% were in the fourth stage, and
40% of them have family history of iron deciency. The
majority of students lived in the city of Baghdad, and
87% of them acquired their information from the Internet.
Table 2 shows that the level of students’ knowledge
regarding iron deciency was poor in most students’
knowledge items with the total mean score of M(SD) =
1.33 (0.39).
Table 3 indicates that there is a signicant association
between both students’ age and their academic stage
with their knowledge at P values of 0.028 and 0.029,
respectively. The study finding also revealed no
signicant association between participants’ age, family
history of iron deciency, housing, and information of
iron deciency and their knowledge at P value < 0.05.
Discussion
Throughout the period of analyzing the data of the
current study, the results showed that 75% of the study
participants were young. These ndings agreed with a
study reporting that the majority of participants were
between 20 and 26 years of age.[14] Another study from
Kuwait indicated that 55.7% of females were single and
had a signicant relationship with their knowledge
regarding iron deciency anemia.[15] Furthermore, the
current study reported that almost half of the female
students have a family history of iron deciency anemia.
This result is consistent with the results of AlSheikh[16]
ndings among university students from Saudi Arabia,
indicating that 45% of them have a family history of iron
deciency anemia. Moreover, the majority of female
students lived in the city capital. This nding agrees
with a descriptive study conducted in Egypt among
female nursing students, which found that 98.8% of these
students lived in city areas.[17]
The current study reported that the majority of students
have a poor and fair level of knowledge regarding iron
deciency anemia. Recent research revealed a similar
result that the majority of the medical students have
inadequate knowledge on anemia such as iron deciency
anemia and were unable to constantly update their
Table 1: Sociodemographic characteristics of the
female students
Student characteristics Frequency Percentage
Age (year)
19-21 75 75.0
22-24 25 25.0
Marital status
Single 93 93.0
Married 77.0
Academic stage
second stage 30 30.0
third stage 30 30.0
fourth stage 40 40.0
Family history
Yes 40 40.0
No 60 60.0
Residence
Urban 91 91.0
Rural 9 9.0
Information
Internet/social media 78 78.0
University 16 16.0
Other sources 6 6.0
Najm, et al.: Undergraduate nursing student knowledge about Iron deciency anemia
4 Journal of Education and Health Promotion | Volume 13 | December 2024
knowledge (P < 0.001).[18] A prospective, cross-sectional
study by Patharkar et al.[19] among undergraduate
medical students showed that they have a lack of
basic knowledge about anemia. On the other hand,
an opposite result of a cross-sectional study indicated
that nearly almost undergraduate medical students
from Chennai were knowledgeable about anemia.[20] A
Jordanian quasiexperimental study conducted among
young female students found that 52.4% of them have
adequate knowledge about iron deciency anemia due
to their engagement in healthy practice with a positive
attitude toward the disease.[21] The prevalence of anemia
is signicant among all ages, which are conrmed by
the available evidence, and future nurses having lack
of knowledge will be considered as an unmet medical
need.[22] The knowledge decit regarding iron deciency
anemia among nursing students in this study might be
attributed to the lack of a number of anemia courses
and disorganizing hospital-related training programs
on anemia in the government hospitals such as in-
service training programs at regular intervals after
graduation.[23]
The study results showed that there is a signicant
association between age of nursing female students
and their knowledge regarding iron deciency anemia.
This nding supported by Saudi cross-sectional study
performed among 450 adult female university students
revealed a signicant association between participants’
age and their level of knowledge concerning iron
deficiency anemia (P = 0.001).[24] A previous study
from Iraq reported that younger students were more
knowledgeable about premenstrual syndrome, which
indicate that age was significant factor for having
knowledge.[25] The authors suggested that younger
people have a high level of awareness about the iron
deciency anemia compared to older individuals. This
can be implied by the fact that single female students
have not experienced the physiological changes of
being old with the fact that their nutritional need also
changed. Younger students have more ability to adopt
knowledge and behaviors that protect them against
psychological and physical threats.[26] Hence, with their
experiences having iron deciency anemia, they acquired
the knowledge by the medical personnel and their peers
with the same diagnosed disease. Moreover, the study
results were consistent with other study ndings, which
revealed that the academic stage of undergraduate
nursing students was significantly associated with
their knowledge regarding iron deficiency anemia
(P < 0.001).[27-28] For example, students at 1st stage in the
college had experienced psychological problems, which
Table 2: Level of student knowledge concerning of iron deciency
Items Correct
answer
Incorrect
answer
Mean SD Ass.
What is the role of iron in the body 298 1.02 0.141 Poor
The normal level of iron in the blood 71 29 1.71 0.456 Good
The recommended amount of iron for adult women aged (19–50) years 66 34 1.66 0.476 Fair
Where is iron stored in the body 41 59 1.41 0.494 Fair
People most at risk of iron deciency 20 80 1.20 0.402 Poor
Which of the following foods does not contain iron 15 85 1.15 0.359 Poor
One of the following vitamins increases iron absorption 44 56 1.44 0.499 Fair
Foods that an iron-decient person should avoid 12 88 1.12 0.327 Poor
The causes of iron deciency anemia 18 82 1.18 0.386 Poor
Iron deciency affects sleep as it causes some complication 62 38 1.62 0.488 Fair
One of the following is not an iron deciency 17 83 1.17 0.378 Poor
One of the following tests diagnoses iron deciencies in the body 9 91 1.09 0.288 Poor
Blood transfusion help in chronic cases of iron deciency treatment or anemia in the body 12 88 1.12 0.327 Poor
What is recommended for patients with iron deciency 85 15 1.85 0.359 Good
The right time to take iron pills 64 36 1.64 0.482 Fair
One of the following helps to raise the level of iron in the body 14 86 1.14 0.349 Poor
The period of time for the iron level in the body to return to the normal limit after taking the treatment 26 74 1.26 0.441 Poor
Anemia is caused by iron deciency, which in turn can lead to some complication 18 82 1.18 0.386 Poor
One of the potential complications of iron deciency for pregnant women 82 18 1.82 0.386 Good
Total mean of score 707 1239 1.33 0.39 poor
M.S=Mean of score, SD=Standard deviations, Level of Knowledge = (1-1.33=poor, 1.34-1.66=fair, 1.67-2=good)
Table 3: Association between students’
sociodemographic characteristics and their
knowledge
Sociodemographic variables Chi‑square PSignicant
Age 24.331 0.493 0.028*
Marital Status 11.734a0.343 0.550
Academic stage 41.322a0.643 0.029*
Family history 17.071a0.413 0.196
Housing 10.285a0.321 0.670
Previous students’ information
on iron deciency anemia
34.071a0.584 0.694
*P<0.001
Najm, et al.: Undergraduate nursing student knowledge about Iron deciency anemia
Journal of Education and Health Promotion | Volume 13 | December 2024 5
might interrupt their study activities and might impact
their knowledge gaining.[29] These results demonstrated
that the differences were most likely caused by the
students’ general exposure to educational materials
and the amount of coursework they completed during
their studies in health science. However, the students’
individual learning styles, access to learning resources,
and hands-on experiences with the specic health issue
could also have an impact.
Conclusion
The current study highlighted crucial results, that is,
nursing female students were unknowledgeable about
iron deficiency anemia. An association was found
between the student level of knowledge about iron
deciency anemia and their age and academic stage.
The College of Nursing in the University of Baghdad
needs to implement regular orientation lectures between
courses among female nursing students for better
understanding of iron deficiency, which enhances
their health awareness, knowledge, motivation, and
perception.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
The College of Nursing Ethics Committee approval
and written informed consent were obtained from all
the participants before the conduct of study-related
procedure.
Patient consent for publication
Written informed consent was obtained from the
students for the publication of the present study and
any related information.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conicts of interest
There are no conicts of interest.
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Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia according to the World Health Organization. Females are more likely to be affected than males. There are several factors causing iron deficiency anemia, such as increased loss of iron, decreased intake of iron, and increased utilization of iron. There are limited research studies evaluating the risk factors that cause anemia among female medical students in Saudi Arabia. For this, the study aimed to identify the prevalence of undiagnosed iron deficiency anemia (IDA) among young female university students and to identify if there is any correlation between IDA and several factors including dietary habits, psychological stress, anxiety status, and body mass index. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was performed between October 2022 and December 2022 with a sample of 100 healthy female students aged between 19 and 23 years, who were studying at the medical colleges of Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. Blood samples were collected to perform complete blood count and iron profile tests. Also, a survey was done to find correlation between iron deficiency anemia and dietary intake, drinks, stress, anxiety, and body mass index (BMI). Independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare values for non-anemic with anemic participants, and linear regression tests were used to analyze differences between non-anemic and anemic participants' dietary intake factors and stress and anxiety scores. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The findings represent an overall prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in female medical students based on the lab finding results. Thus, students were divided into two following groups: anemic (13%) with hemoglobin (Hb) concentration <12 g/dL and non-anemic (84%) with Hb concentration ≥12 g/dL. When comparing the two groups, results showed significant differences in the majority of RBC indices (hematocrit {HCT}, mean corpuscular volume {MCV}, mean corpuscular hemoglobin {MCH}, red cell distribution width {RDW}) and iron profiles, p-value was <0.05. On evaluation of the different types of food consumption, the mean iron intake was around 7 mg/day, and in 65% of the participants, it was below the estimated average requirement (EAR) of iron (8.1 mg/dL). The perceived stress scale (PSS) shows that 63% of the participants experienced moderate stress and 58% reported severe anxiety by the generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) scale. In multiple linear regression, iron was positively associated with hemoglobin concentrations, whereas stress scores were negatively associated with hemoglobin concentrations. Conclusion: There is a relatively low prevalence of anemia and most of it was found of the microcytic type, indicating that this condition is a common health issue among local female college students. There was no independent association between stress or anxiety and hemoglobin levels.
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Anemia is a major significant public health issue that affects both pregnant and non-pregnant women throughout the world. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of anemia, as well as its classification, based on MCV values in non-pregnant women residing in the Garmian province in the east of Iraq. Blood samples were collected from non-pregnant women between the ages of 16 and 49 years. Anemia is classified as mild, moderate and severe, and as microcytic, normocytic and macrocytic depending on the level of Hb or mean corpuscular volume (MCV) respectively. In this study sociodemographic and hematological characteristics were also evaluated. The results showed that 56% of the study samples were anemic, and of the total anemic patients, 54 (35%), 86 (55%) and 16 (10%) had mild, moderate, and severe anemia respectively. Also, of the total anemic patients, 102 (65%) had microcytic type of anemia, 51 (33%) had normocytic anemia and only 3 (2%) had macrocytic anemia. The majority of anemic women (77.6%) had normal RBC counts but low Hct, MCH and MCHC values of 76.3%, 79.5% and 81.4%, respectively. The results showed also that there was no significant difference between the severity of anemia and age groups, occupation, blood pressure, bleeding, and haemorrhoids. However, diabetics showed a significant difference in anemia severity with <0.0004 P-value. The results showed that anemia had become a major public health issue in the study area. 5001 ‫اق‬ ‫العر‬ ‫كوردستان،‬ ‫إقليم‬ ‫كرميان،‬ ‫جامعة‬ ‫العلوم،‬ ‫كلية‬ ‫الكيمياء،‬ ‫قسم‬ 2 ‫اق‬ ‫العر‬ ، ‫كوردستان‬ ‫إقليم‬ ، ‫كرميان‬ ‫جامعة‬ ، ‫اعية‬ ‫الزر‬ ‫الهندسة‬ ‫علوم‬ ‫كلية‬ ، ‫ان‬ ‫الحيو‬ ‫علوم‬ ‫قسم‬ 3 ‫اق‬ ‫العر‬ ، ‫كوردستان‬ ‫إقليم‬ ، ‫كرميان‬ ‫صحة‬ ‫ية‬ ‫مدير‬ ، ‫العام‬ ‫كالر‬ ‫مستشفى‬ 4 ‫الخالصة‬ ‫جميع‬ ‫في‬ ‫امل‬ ‫الحو‬ ‫وغير‬ ‫امل‬ ‫الحو‬ ‫النساء‬ ‫على‬ ‫تؤثر‬ ‫التي‬ ‫العامة‬ ‫الصحية‬ ‫المشاكل‬ ‫اهم‬ ‫احد‬ ‫هو‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫ال‬ ‫عامل‬ ‫حسب‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫تقسيم‬ ‫الى‬ ‫باالضافة‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫وشدة‬ ‫انتشار‬ ‫مدى‬ ‫تحديد‬ ‫إلى‬ ‫استنا‬ ‫در‬ ‫تهدف‬ ‫العالم.‬ ‫أنحاء‬ MCV ‫العر‬ ‫قي‬ ‫شر‬ ‫كرميان‬ ‫محافظة‬ ‫في‬ ‫المقيمات‬ ‫امل‬ ‫الحو‬ ‫غير‬ ‫النساء‬ ‫لدى‬ ‫نساء‬ ‫من‬ ‫جمعت‬ ‫قد‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫عينات‬ ‫اق.‬ ‫بين‬ ‫أعمارهن‬ ‫اوح‬ ‫تتر‬ ‫امل‬ ‫حو‬ ‫غير‬ 16 ‫و‬ 49 ‫ومتوسطة‬ ‫(خفيفة‬ ‫مجاميع‬ ‫ثالث‬ ‫الى‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫شدة‬ ‫تصنيف‬ ‫تم‬ ‫سنة.‬ ‫كبير‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫الخاليا،‬ ‫طبيعي‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫وفقر‬ ‫الخاليا،‬ ‫ة‬ ‫صغير‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫(فقر‬ ‫الى‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫تصنيف‬ ‫تم‬ ‫ايضا‬ ‫و‬ ‫وحادة)،‬ ‫ال‬ ‫تقييم‬ ‫ايضا‬ ‫تم‬ ‫وقد‬ ‫الخاليا).‬ ‫هذه‬ ‫في‬ ‫النساء‬ ‫نصف‬ ‫من‬ ‫اكثر‬ ‫الدم.‬ ‫وخصائص‬ ‫االجتماعية‬ ‫السلوكية‬ ‫خصائص‬ ‫عانت‬ ‫للمصابات،‬ ‫الكلي‬ ‫العدد‬ ‫إجمالي‬ ‫ومن‬ ‫الدم،‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫من‬ ‫يعانون‬ ‫ا‬ ‫كانو‬ ‫اسة‬ ‫الدر‬ 54 (35 ‫الخفيف،‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫من‬)٪ ‫كانت‬ ‫بينما‬ 86 (55 ‫و‬ ‫المتوسط،‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫بفقر‬ ‫مصابات‬)٪ 16 (10 ‫ا‬ ‫أضهرت‬ ‫و‬ ‫الشديد.‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫بفقر‬ ‫مصابات‬)٪ ‫لنتائج‬ ‫ان‬ 102 (65 ‫و‬ ، ‫يات‬ ‫الكر‬ ‫صغير‬ ‫نوع‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫لديهم‬ ‫المصابات‬ ‫النساء‬ ‫من‬)٪ 51 (33 ‫طبيعي‬ ‫دم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫لديهم‬)٪ ‫وفقط‬ ، ‫يات‬ ‫الكر‬ 3 (2 ‫الدم‬ ‫بفقر‬ ‫للمصابين‬ ‫الكلي‬ ‫المجموع‬ ‫من‬ ‫يات‬ ‫الكر‬ ‫كبير‬ ‫نوع‬ ‫دم‬ ‫بفقر‬ ‫مصابات‬ ‫كن‬)٪. ‫كان‬ (‫الدم‬ ‫بفقر‬ ‫المصابات‬ ‫النساء‬ ‫غالبية‬ ‫لدى‬ 77.6 ‫يات‬ ‫كر‬ ‫تعداد‬)٪ ‫قيم‬ ‫ولكن‬ ‫طبيعيآ‬ ‫اء‬ ‫الحمر‬ ‫الدم‬ Hct ، MCH ‫و‬ MCHC ‫بنسبة‬ ‫منخفضة‬ ‫كانت‬ 76.3 ،٪ 79.5 ‫و‬ ٪ 81.4 ‫الي.‬ ‫التو‬ ‫على‬ ٪ ‫فرق‬ ‫وجود‬ ‫عدم‬ ‫النتائج‬ ‫أظهرت‬ ‫ا‬ ‫أظهرو‬ ‫السكر‬ ‫مرضى‬ ‫لكن‬ ، ‫اسير‬ ‫البو‬ ‫و‬ ‫يف‬ ‫النز‬ ‫و‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫وضغط‬ ‫المهنة‬ ‫و‬ ‫ية‬ ‫العمر‬ ‫الفئات‬ ‫و‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫شدة‬ ‫بين‬ ‫معنوي‬ ‫بق‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫شدة‬ ‫مع‬ ً ‫ا‬ ‫كبير‬ ً ‫قا‬ ‫فر‬ < ‫قدرها‬ ‫احتمالية‬ ‫يمة‬ 0,0004 ‫ئيسية‬ ‫ر‬ ‫مشكلة‬ ‫أصبح‬ ‫الدم‬ ‫فقر‬ ‫أن‬ ‫النتائج‬ ‫أظهرت‬. ‫اسة‬ ‫الدر‬ ‫منطقة‬ ‫في‬ ‫العامة‬ ‫للصحة‬. 1. Introduction Blood's ability to carry oxygen throughout the body is reduced when the quantity and volume of red blood cells (RBCs), or the amount of haemoglobin (Hb) falls below a certain cutoff value. This disease/condition is known as anemia [1]. At the population level, Hb levels are the most accurate indicator of anemia because they are generally cheap and simple to assess. According to the criterion of the World Health Organization (WHO) a non-pregnant woman is considered anemic if the Hb level is less than 12 g/dl. The severity of anemia for non-pregnant women is categorized by the WHO depending on Hb levels as mild (11.0-11.9 g/dl), moderate (8.0-10.9 g/dl) and severe anemia (Hb less than 8.0 g/dl) [2]. The prevalence of anemia was highest among preschool children, pregnant women and non-pregnant women, whilst lowest among school-aged children, men and the elderly [3]. In 2009, anemia affected 41.8% and 30.2% of pregnant women and non-pregnant women worldwide [4]. According to the data from 2010 [5], there were more than 2.2 billion anemic individuals with a prevalence rate of 32.9% globally. Additionally, data from 2011 [6] showed that 38% of pregnant women and 29% of non-pregnant women aged between 15 and 49, had anemia. Data in 2020 showed the prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age reached about 29.4%, and it affected around 40% of pregnant women and more than 20% of non-pregnant women worldwide [7]. Anemia is most common in Africa where 57.1% of the pregnant women and 47.5% of non-pregnant women are anemic, followed by Southeast Asia, where pregnant women and non-pregnant women (48.2%) and (45.7%) are anemic respectively [8]. Fifty percent of the causes of anemia in women are mainly due to a lack of iron [6]. Iron deficiency, which results from a negative iron balance for a long period, can be brought on by inadequate dietary iron and poor iron-rich food intake or problems with absorption, increased iron requirements especially during pregnancy and growth. Sometimes this deficiency is due to increased iron losses by menstruation and helminth (intestinal worm) infestation that eventually
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Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world. It is of concern for women and girls of reproductive age as, despite frequent normalization, excessive menstrual blood loss and the iron demands associated with pregnancy increase the risk of developing an ID. Iron deficiency reduces health‐related quality of life with symptoms of fatigue, heart palpitations, difficulty concentrating, and poor mental health. When left untreated, ID can escalate to iron deficiency anemia (IDA), where there is an insufficiency of red blood cells, or hemoglobin within these cells, to meet the bodily demands for oxygen transport. Substantial guidance on screening for ID can be found in specific at‐risk groups, including pregnant women and patients with renal, cardiac, and inflammatory bowel disease. However, it was unclear whether guidance is available for women of reproductive age. We performed a literature search to explore the current recommendations for screening women of reproductive age for ID. While four manuscripts supportive of screening were found, no official guidance appears to exist regarding screening for this group. In line with the World Health Organization's 10 Principles of Screening, we present a case for ID screening in women and girls of reproductive age.
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Objectives: To assess levels of premenstrual psychological disorders of the students in Bab Al-Mua’dham Complex and to find out the relationship between the levels of premenstrual psychological and physical disorders and some demographic characteristics of the students. Methodology: A descriptive study was accomplished throughout the period from the 1st of October, 2015 to the 8th of July, 2016 to assess the psychological and physical problems. A purposive sample of 313 students distributed among different colleges of Bab Al-Mua’dam complex distributed as following: 82 students are from college of Arts; 79 students are from College of Languages; 48 students are from college of Islamic Sciences: and 104 are from College of Nursing. For the purposes of the study a questionnaire was constructed which represents the premenstrual symptoms screening tool (PSST) by Steiner et al.(2003)(1). This questionnaire consists of three parts: first, the demographic characteristics of students agreed to participate in the present study; Second part contains 16 items represents the psychological problems and the third part is supposed to measure the physical problems and contains 11 items. Levels of severity of problems were determined by using the quartiles step. The data of the study were analysed by applying descriptive data analysis: frequencies, percentages and tables of distribution; and inferential data analysis: Pearson coefficient correlation and Chi square, using the statistical analysis program of SPSS 19th version. Results: The present study reveals that more than half of the students are 20 and 21 years old; the majority of them are unmarried; one third of the sample are from the first class; more than three quarters have different levels of severity of psychological and physical problems distributed among slight level to the levels which interrupt the daily activities and/ or change the life style. The study has not found any differences between married and unmarried students. Also, the study does not find significant association between demographic characteristics and psychological problems but there is a significant relationship between the study stage and physical problems and age and psycho-physical problems. Recommendations: The present study recommends that medical and health follow up for students with levels which interrupt the daily activities and/ or change the life style of those students. Further studies concerning the impact of psychological and physical problems upon the academic achievement and also upon social relationship and the way the student deals with her family and society. Further studies aimed to discover the mood fluctuations which might result to suicidal ideation.
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Anemia, which is associated with various complications during pregnancy and childbirth can be prevented, especially in pre-conception or pre-pregnancy women, by fulfilling nutrition needs. One way to achieve this is by implementing nutrition assistance programs specifically designed for pregnant women or those planning to conceive. Therefore, this study aims to examine the impact of a dietary support program on the knowledge, self-efficacy, and hemoglobin level of pre-conception women. The design used was a non-randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest approach, while the sample consisted of married women preparing to get pregnant, with a total of 67 people meeting the inclusion criteria. Data obtained were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test and Independent sample T-test. The results demonstrated a significant difference in knowledge levels (p=0.000), self-efficacy (p=0.000), and hemoglobin levels (p=0.000) between the intervention and control groups. Therefore, it is essential to address the readiness of pre-conception women, particularly regarding their nutrition status, to prevent potential complications that may arise during pregnancy and childbirth.
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Prevalencia de anemia en una muestra de mujeres embarazadas en la gobernación de Babilonia, Irak nemia in Pregnancy considered a significant public health problem. It has an essential role in disabled life and death of pregnant women and their future children, mainly in developing countries. The World Bank Group (WBG) estimates that the prevalence of Anemia among pregnant women in Iraq is nearly 38%, while the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates it approximately 31%. Hence, the primary objective of our study is to investigate the possible prevalence of Anemia among pregnant women in Babylon city by analyzing several primary health centres in this governorate. A cross-sectional descriptive survey runs in several primary health care centers in Babylon. Five centers are selected, two in the center and three in the centers of the peripheries. The sample was selected by a modified systematic sampling technique. Questions attempted to encompass the sociodemographic characteristics of the mother, and the menstrual and obstetrical history and the possible association of these characteristics with the presence of anaemia. The range of Hemoglobin identified between 6.0 to 15.0 with a mean of 10.61 gm/dL. The estimated prevalence of anaemia was 48.6% of the studied sample where mild anaemia appeared in 21.8%, while that of moderate and severe anaemia in 26.0% and 0.8% respectively. The younger age of the mother and good family income are protective factors while loneliness and having a Job are significant risk factors to its occurrence. Also, the occurrence of Anemia was associated significantly with heaviness rather than the regularity of the menstrual cycle with a higher number of pregnancies and/ or abortions, irregularity or absence of antenatal care and previous rather than present antepartum hemorrhage. Anemia represents a great challenge to the community health in Iraq and require further governmental efforts to handle it by concentrated health education and promotion of antenatal care. a anemia en el embarazo se considera un problema importante de salud pública. Tiene un papel importante en la vida y muerte con discapacidad de las mujeres embarazadas y sus futuros hijos, principalmente en los países en desarrollo. El últi-mo informe del Banco Mundial estima la prevalencia de anemia entre las mujeres embarazadas en Irak dentro del 38% y el informe de la OMS la estima dentro del 31% con una media de 11,7 g/dl, pero los estudios locales arrojaron tasas más altas, especialmente en las provincias periféricas distintas de la capital, por lo que el objetivo de nuestro estudio es sacar una imagen sobre la posible prevalencia en Babilonia mediante una muestra de varios centros de atención primaria de salud en esta gobernación. Un estu-dio descriptivo transversal realizado en varios centros de atención primaria de salud en Babilonia. Se seleccionan cinco centros, dos en el centro y tres en los centros de las periferias. La muestra se seleccionó mediante una téc-nica de muestreo sistemática modificada. Las preguntas intentaron abarcar las características sociodemográficas de la madre, la historia menstrual y obstétrica y la po-sible asociación de estas características con la presencia de anemia. El rango de hemoglobina identificado entre 6,0 y 15,0 con una media de 10,61 g/dL. La prevalencia estimada de anemia fue del 48,6% de la muestra estudia-da donde apareció anemia leve en 21,8%, mientras que la anemia moderada y severa en 26,0% y 0,8% respec-tivamente. La edad más joven de la madre y los buenos ingresos familiares son factores protectores, mientras que la soledad y tener un trabajo son factores de riesgo impor-tantes para su ocurrencia. Además, la aparición de anemia se asoció significativamente con la pesadez en lugar de la regularidad del ciclo menstrual con un mayor número de embarazos y/o abortos, irregularidad o ausencia de aten-ción prenatal y hemorragia anteparto previa en lugar de presente. La anemia representa un gran desafío para la sa-lud de la comunidad en Irak y requiere más esfuerzos gu-bernamentales para manejarla mediante la educación sa-275 Abstract Resumen nitaria concentrada y la promoción de la atención prenatal. Palabras clave: Prevalencia de anemia, mujeres embara-zadas, gobernación de Babilonia. nemia in Pregnancy considered a major public health problem and still has an important role in both mortality and morbidity of pregnant women, mainly in developing countries 1. According to WHO reports, anemia affect (35-75)% of pregnant women in developing countries opposed by about 18% in developed ones 2,3 .
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Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of educational program on female students’ knowledge toward premenstrual syndrome.Methodology: A quasi-experimental design study conducing on (140) student purposely in four secondary schools at Al-sadder city (70) student for study group and (70) for control group. The prevalence of PMS selected through American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (2015) criterias to select PMS students before program. The education program were set in four steps, the first step (pre-test) is to assess the knowledge , before the implementation of the program, the second step is implementing the program, following two steps post-test I and II between each test two weeks. Validity is determined through a panel of experts, and the reliability of the questionnaire is determined through pilot study of ten students. Data analyzed through descriptive inferential statistics. Results: The current study indicates that the number of study sample that reported having premenstrual syndrome was (140). There were significant differences at (P- value≤ 0.01) between pretest, posttest I and posttest II. A significant difference results were found between the first test before implementation the program and the two tests after implementation the program regarding their knowledge about premenstrual syndrome, compared to the control group.Recommendations: The study recommended that early education courses in primary school regarding menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, and self-care measures.
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Objective: Determination the effectiveness of educational program on female students’ practices toward premenstrual. Methodology: A quasi-experimental design study was conducted involving (140) student purposely in four secondary schools at Al-sadder city (70) student for study group and (70) for control group. The prevalence of PMS selected through American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (2015) criteria to select PMS students before program. The education program were set in four steps, the first step (pre-test) is to assess the practices, before the implementation of the program, the second step is implementing the program, following two steps post-test I and II between each test two weeks. Validity is determined through a panel of experts, and the reliability of the questionnaire is determined through a pilot study of ten students. Data analyzed through descriptive inferential statistics. Results: The study indicates that the number of study sample that reported having premenstrual syndrome was (140). There were significant differences at (P- value≤ 0.01) between pretest, posttest I and posttest II. A significant difference results were found between the first test before the implementation of the program and the two tests after implementation the program, compared to the control group. Recommendations: The study recommended that early education courses in primary school regarding menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, and self-care measures