The Prevalence, Morphological Types and Factors Associated with Anemia Among Under- Five Children Hospitalized at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract Background Anemia is a global public health concern that causes significant mortality and morbidity especially in children. The risk factors for anemia vary in different settings, including having intestinal parasites, malaria parasitemia, HIV infection, nutritional deficiencies, chronic diseases, and the habit of taking meals with tea. Understanding the burden, morphological types and factors associated with anemia is important in guiding the development and implementation of intervention programs. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, morphological types and factors associated with anemia among under-five children hospitalized at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Materials and Methods This was a cross-sectional facility-based study conducted among under-five children hospitalized at Muhimbili National Hospital. A convenient sampling technique was used to obtain study participants. Data on sociodemographic characteristics of the children and their caregivers were obtained using a pretested structured questionnaire, and nutritional status of each child was assessed. Complete Blood Count (CBC) results on the day of admission was recorded. Data were entered in SPSS software version 27 for analysis. Continuous variables were expressed as median and interquartile range, while categorical variables were expressed as frequency and percentages. To determine the factors associated with anemia, significant variables from univariate analysis were entered into a multivariate logistic regression analysis, and adjusted odds ratio was calculated to determine the strength of association. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results The prevalence of anemia was found to be 85.9% with the proportion of mild, moderate and severe anemia being 22.9%, 45.7% and 31.4% respectively. Microcytic hypochromic anemia was the predominant morphological type of anemia among the study participants. Receiving a last dose of anthelminthic medication more than three months prior to admission and the habit of taking meals with tea were found to be significantly associated with anemia. Conclusion Prevalence of anemia among under-five children hospitalized at Muhimbili National Hospital is high. Intervention programs to address anemia in Tanzania should take on board the identified modifiable factors in order to reduce the prevalence of anemia among under-five children.