Prevalence and factors associated with iron-deficiency anemia among children in Brazil: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Autor(a) principal: Paixão, Camila Kelen Ferreira
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Gomes, Daiene Rosa, Oliveira, Danila Soares de, Mattos, Mússio Pirajá
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Baiana de Saúde Pública (Online)
• DOI: 10.22278/2318-2660.2021.v45.n3.a3444
• Texto Completo: https://rbsp.sesab.ba.gov.br/index.php/rbsp/article/view/3444
• topic: Anemia ferropriva; Crianças; Brasil; Revisão sistemática; Metanálise; Anemia ferropénica; Niños; Brasil; Revisión sistemática; Metaanálisis; Anemia; Iron-deficiency; Children; Brazil; Systematic review; Meta-analysis

This study summarizes the prevalence and factors associated with iron-deficiency anemia in Brazilian children. A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines. Bibliographic search was performed in the Virtual Health Library, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Scielo databases, using three Boolean modulators: “iron-deficiency anemia” AND “child” AND “Brazil” and “Anemia, Iron-Deficiency” AND “Child” AND “Brazil.” Methodological quality of the selected articles was analyzed according to the Effective Public Health Practice Project: Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies scale. Of the 6,697 studies found, 112 were selected for qualitative synthesis and 61 underwent meta-analysis. Estimated mean prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia was 27% (95% CI: 27 – 28). Boys (1.09 95%CI 1.04-1.14), younger than 24 months (3.71 95%CI 3.50-3.92) and 36 months (3.33 95%CI 2.48-4.47), with low birth weight (1.17 95%CI 1.04-1.32), and parents’ education below 4, 5 and 8 years (1.32 95%CI 1.09-1.59) were the risk factors associated with anemia. Prophylactic use of iron reduced the outcome analyzed by 14%. Therefore, Brazil needs urgent measures for the effective functionality of programs to combat anemia, such as the prophylactic use of iron, by mobilizing three essential pillars: professional care, family education, and adherence by caregivers.