Prevalence of anaemia and hookworm infestation among adolescent girls in one rural block of TamilNadu.

Abstract

Adolescent girls are at particular risk of developing iron deficiency anemia as a result of the growth spurt that accompanies puberty. This risk is further increased in developing countries by hookworm infestation and the attendant intestinal blood loss. This study investigated the prevalence of both anemia and hookworm infestation among 197 female adolescents, 13-17 years of age, attending 10 schools in a rural block of India's Tamil Nadu State. 19% of subjects belonged to a scheduled caste, 72% to a backward caste, and 9% to a forward caste. The prevalence of anemia was 76.6%. Of the 130 girls who provided stool samples, 63% had hookworm. When questioned about personal hygiene practices, 48.5% of girls reported they did not wear slippers when they went outside. Only 65% were bathing daily. Since anemia during adolescence can have an adverse impact on future pregnancies, measures such as iron and folic acid supplementation, as well as improved hygienic practices, are recommended.