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Prevalence of Anemia and Associated Factors Among the Elderly Population in South Khorasan, Birjand, 2019 Publisher



Afaghi H1 ; Sharifi F2 ; Moodi M3 ; Ananisarab G4 ; Kazemi T5 ; Mirimoghaddam E6 ; Tahergorabi Z7
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
  2. 2. Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
  4. 4. Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
  5. 5. Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
  6. 6. Department of Molecular Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
  7. 7. Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran

Source: Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran Published:2021


Abstract

Background: Anemia is a multifactorial and common public health problem in geriatric age groups, especially in developing countries. Therefore, this study was designed to study the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among the elderly population in Birjand, Iran, in 2019. Methods: This was a cross-sectional approach to the baseline data of the Birjand longitudinal aging study (BLAS) in which 1396 people aged > 60 years were screened for the presence of anemia based on the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. For each participant, a standard questionnaire was administered. Furthermore, the height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. Blood samples were obtained from each participant for hematological examination. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and other indices of cell blood count were measured using an automatic cell counter. The prevalence rates were estimated using survey analysis with the weight of Birjand county older population. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to detect the associated factor with anemia. Results: The mean age of the participants was 69.73±7.66 years. The crude prevalence of anemia was 11.10%, and the age-standardized prevalence based on the standard WHO population 2000-2025 was equal to 16.78% (12.81%-21.66%) (15.95% [10.41%-23.69%] in women and 17.32% (12.65%-23.25%) in men. Mild and normocytic anemia were the predominant types. The mean hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean cell volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were lower in women than in men and the mean platelet count in women was higher (p<0.001). In the final multivariate logistic regression model, only age groups, BMI, fish consumption, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were related to anemia. Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings showed the association of anemia with some risk factors and diseases. Anemia in geriatric age groups is often underdiagnosed; hence, identification of subgroups at risk for anemia and its associated risk factors in geriatric groups has a paramount importance in preventing adverse outcomes. © 2021 Iran University of Medical Sciences. All Rights Reserved.