Haemoglobin Levels of Adolescent Girls Aged 11-19 Years in North Sumatera are Correlated with Socio-Economic Status and Menstrual Cycle Duration

Abstract

Background and Objective: Anaemia is a public health problem in developing countries. Adolescent girls are at risk of anaemia due to the increased need for iron at that age. Adolescent girls with anaemia have haemoglobin levels below the normal value limit, which is influenced by many factors, including socio-economic status and menstruation. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation of haemoglobin levels of girls aged 11-19 years with socio-economic status and menstrual cycle duration. Materials and Methods: This was an analytic study with a cross-sectional approach. The total sample was 300 adolescent girls aged 11-19 years who were enrolled from February-July 2018. Data were collected by using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), an anthropometric assessment and a haemoglobinometer tool. A chi-square analysis was used to find the correlation of haemoglobin levels with socio-economic status and menstrual cycle duration. Results: This study indicated that there were no significant correlations of mother’s education or tofu-tempe consumption and anaemia in adolescent girls aged 11-19 years (p>0.05); however, there were significant correlations of father’s education, income, menstrual cycle duration and meat consumption with anaemia in adolescent girls aged 11-19 years (p<0.05). Conclusion: Factors that correlated with anaemia in adolescent girls were father’s education, income, menstrual cycle duration and meat consumption. It is recommended to focus in those factors to prevent anaemia in adolescent girls.