Nutritional Status and Knowledge of Hill Women on Anemia: Effect of Various Socio-demographic Factors

Abstract

Anemia is a common health problem among women throughout the world. However, there has been minimal research on women’s concepts of anemia. The present study was thus undertaken with the objective to assess the nutritional status of rural hill women and to study the knowledge of hill women regarding nutritional anemia . In addition to this, the effect of various socio-economic and demographic factors on the nutritional anemia related knowledge of hill women. The crosssectional study was carried out in three villages of Nainital District, Uttarakhand. The study was confined to the women of age group of 18-45 years. A total of 223 women were selected randomly. Their knowledge was tested and socio-demographic and nutritional profile was recorded. From the outcome of study it was observed that mean percent knowledge score of subjects was 23.28. Knowledge scores were found to be increasing with decreasing age and they were significantly associated with educational status. Mean height of subjects was 151.21 cm and mean weight of subjects was 48.76 kg. BMI calculations revealed that 41 % subjects were suffering from various degrees of malnutrition. Conclusion was that knowledge of rural women was found to be very poor in regard of nutritional anemia, nutritional status of as high as 41 % subjects was unsatisfactory. To eradicate the problem of nutritional anemia a more intense awareness campaign is required in the region.