Risk factors of severity levels of Anemia among children aged 6 to 59 months in Ethiopia

Kindie Fentahun Muchie, Debre Berhan University

The prevalence of anemia for children aged 6 to 59 months in Ethiopia was 44% in 2011 reflecting it was a major public health problem according to WHO criteria. This study aimed at identifying risk factors of different severity levels of anemia. The study was based on 2011 EDHS. Ordinal logistic regression, particularly proportional odds model was used. From the sampled children, 28.6%, 21.7% and 49.7% were severely/moderately anemic, mildly anemic and non-anemic, respectively. The likelihood of being severely/moderately anemic as compared to being mildly anemic or non-anemic; and being severely/moderately anemic or mildly anemic as compared to being non-anemic is similar. The result also showed that age & nutritional status of a child; religion, number of under-5 children & source of drinking water of the house hold; anemia & current employment status of the mother; and educational status of partner are found to be statistically significant.