Prevalence and causes of anemia in children in Kiryat Shmoneh, Israel

Community screening to reveal iron deficiency in healthy menstruating women in Israelian suburbs

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence of iron deficiency among healthy women of child-bearing age, study the predictive value of blood hemoglobin level for this condition and assess the efficacy of a community screening program.

METHOD

All healthy women aged 18-45 years registered with one community outpatient clinic were requested to complete a questionnaire on present and past medical history; one-third also completed a second questionnaire on symptoms related to anemia. All underwent a blood test for hemoglobin, serum-saturated transferrin and ferritin levels.

RESULTS

Of the 163 women who complied (83% of the targeted population), 25.8% were diagnosed as having iron deficiency; of these 40.5% had a hemoglobin level of 12 g% or higher. The most sensitive indicator proved to be serum ferritin level. Iron deficiency was more prevalent in women with a personal history of anemia. Only 34.1% of the study group completed follow-up.

CONCLUSION

There is a high incidence of iron deficiency among women of childbearing age. However, because of the surprisingly low compliance with follow-up visits, preventive periodic screening of healthy menstruating women using routine blood tests is not recommended at this time, except for those with specific complaints or who are at high risk.

An epidemiological study of haemoglobin levels in infancy in Jerusalem. The effect of social factors and the relation to physical growth

The infant population of a mixed middle and low social class community in a western neighbourhood of Jerusalem has been examined for haemoglobin, haematocrit weight and length at 9 months of age. The mean haemoglobin has been 11.1 g/100 ml, the mean haematocrit 36.1 and the mean MCHC 31.1%. In most cases the anemia has been mild. Statistically significant differences in the mean haemoglobin have been found by social class of father and sex of the child. No statistically significant association has been found between birth weight, weight and length at 9 months and mean weight increment per week between birth and 9 months of age and haemoglobin. Lower levels of Hb have been demonstrated in the males by categories of birth weight and categories of weight increment.