Anaemia prevalence and socio-demographic factors among women of reproductive age (WRA): A geospatial analysis of empowered action group (EAG) states in India

Abstract

Anaemia remains a major nutritional-related health concern for women under reproductive age (WRA) in developing nations like India as well as the Indian EAG states. According to NFHS round-5, EAG states constitute 57% of WRA having any form of anaemia, higher than many other states of India and other developed and developing nations. This study aimed to assess the frequency of anaemia among the WRA in India's eight EAG states. Also, it attempts to analyse the causes associated with anaemia by the women's background characteristics with spatial correlation with its co-variates across 291 districts of the EAG states. One of the most current Demographic and Health Survey's (DHS) cross-sectional data is the NFHS-5th (2019–21) round taken, conducted by the IIPS under the administration of MoHFW, India. This study only included 315,069 women under reproductive age (WRA). The variables related to anaemia among women's (WRA) background socio-demographic characteristics were assessed using bivariate statistics and multinominal logistic regression analysis to comprehend the spatial correlation between women and their determinant factors. Among the EAG states, the overall prevalence of anaemia was 57%, varying from 42.6% in Uttarakhand to 65.3% in Jharkhand. Multinominal logistic regression analyses reveal that the chances of anaemia are remarkably more prevalent in younger women (15–19 years of age), women living in rural areas, no educated and primary level educated women, women belonging to the middle to poorest wealth quintile, women no longer living together, women of the Christian religion, women who are not exposed to reading newspapers, underweight BMI women, and scheduled tribe women. Mainly, the prevalence is observed in the North-eastern and southeastern states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, some parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, which is shown by the hotspot map. According to the findings of this study, numerous factors like family, socioeconomic, educational, awareness, and individual characteristics such as caste and domicile all lead to a risk of anaemia. The WRA suffers from anaemia as a result of their socioeconomic background and awareness, which leads to a lack of nourishment, and they seek nutrient deficiencies. To overcome this anaemia, multiple discipline policies and initiatives need to be taken targeting women's wellness and nutritional status by increasing women's education and socioeconomic status.