Haematological and anthropometric status of children attending a tertiary health facility, Abeokuta, Ogun State

Abstract

Background: Nutritional and haematological status is a necessary and important tool in the determination of growth and development in children.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the haematological and anthropometric status of children attending Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta.
Methods: A total of 146 respondents were random selected using simple random sampling method. All children that attended paediatrics out-patient department whose parent gave informed consent for participation in the study were allotted numbers and random selection was done for recruitment of the respondents. Also, assent of the children was obtained. Ethical approval was obtained from the research ethics committee of the health facility. The study was conducted between January to June 2022. Children aged 0-24 months participated in the study. Sociodemographic data (age, sex) was collected through the use of a semi-structured questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, blood samples for haematological and biochemical test were also taken following standard procedures. Data were analysed using ENA software for SMART for under five and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Blood samples were analysed using appropriate test kits and result was compared to reference standard. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used for data analysis and the significance level was set at p = < 0.05.
Results: About one-fifth of the respondents (19.9%) had severe acute malnutrition according to the MUAC assessment. About one-fifth (21.2%) were also severely stunted, (21.3%) were severely malnourished considering their weight for age, about one-third (27.4%) were severely wasted in the study area. The study revealed positive falciparum malaria in 35% of the children. Furthermore, the study revealed that 57.5% of the children positive with malaria parasitaemia had a packed cell volume < 33% and 67.5% had haemoglobin concentration < 11g/dL and 28.6% had a plasma transferrin concentration > 347 mg/dL.
Conclusion: The study concludes that the children under study have poor nutritional status and malaria parasite was seen in more than half of the population. This can predispose them to iron deficiency and anaemia.