Prevalence of Anemia and Associated Factors Among Women of Reproductive Age Attending ART in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: Anaemia in women of reproductive age caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a double burden and has negative consequences on newborns. Anaemia is a public health problem, and there is little insight into the factors associated with anaemia among women of reproductive age who live with HIV in developing countries. Hence, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of anaemia and associated factors among women of reproductive age attending assisted therapy (ART) clinics in selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 7, 2021, to August 23, 2021, in six public hospitals in Addis Ababa. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 239 study participants. The data were collected using a checklist and interview. The data were subsequently entered into the EPI-data manager database and exported to SPSS 20 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were also performed. The odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI was retrieved, and a p value < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results The overall incidence of anaemia was 23% [95% CI (18.5–28.4)], which was significantly associated with a current CD4 count < 500 cells/mm 3 (AOR = 1.5, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.44); middle age (AOR = 6.73, 95% CI = 1.86–24.44); duration of ART < 5 years (AOR = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.0-0.38); opportunistic infection (AOR = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.02-052); marital status (AOR = 0.007, 95% CI = 0.001–0.06); and occupation (no job) status (AOR = 10.85, 95% CI = 2.74–42.9). Conclusion The overall incidence of anaemia in the study area was moderate. Age, marital status, occupation, current CD4 count, opportunistic infection status, and duration of ART were factors significantly associated with anaemia. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of anaemia and coinfections are essential.