Factors Influencing Iron Levels Among Women of Reproductive Age and Children 6–48 Months in Livestock-Keeping Communities in Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

Proper nutrition is vital for maintaining good health for all people across their lifespan, especially children and mothers, who are especially vulnerable due to their specific nutrient needs. Despite the necessity of improved nutrition for these groups, some members do not fully meet their recommended daily micronutrient needs, a challenge exacerbated by different socioeconomic, cultural, and communal constraints resulting in malnutrition. Iron deficiency anaemia is a major concern among children and mothers, especially in pastoralist communities, due to poor nutrition and other related factors. Using a community-based cross sectional study, this study investigated factors associated with hemoglobin levels among children and women in Narok County, Kenya. Anthropometrics were estimated using body mass index measurements for mothers, and the nutritional status of children was calculated using Z-score measurements. Haemoglobin was measured using a rapid test (Hemocue 301). Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to assess the association between child and maternal risk factors and anaemia. Anaemia in children was associated with age (OR = 1.99, p = 0.047), pastoralism (OR = 2.25, p = 0.002), educational of the mother (OR = 0.74, p = 0.008), severe and moderate undernourishment (OR = 1.14, p = 0.049 and OR = 1.10, p = 0.023), respectively, not meeting children dietary diversity (OR = 1.18, p = 0.027), number of people in a household (OR = 1.84, p = 0.003), and maternal age (OR = 0.30, p = 0.010). On the other hand, the occurrence of anaemia in women was associated with pastoralism (OR = 2.22, p = 0.001), having a primary school level of education (OR = 0.51, p = 0.028), pregnancy status (OR = 5.36, p = 0.002), not meeting maternal dietary diversity (OR = 1.39, p = 0.026), number of household members (OR = 1.93, p = 0.023), age of the mother (OR = 0.53, p = 0.018), and having animals infected with East Coast Fever (Theileria parva) within the household (OR = 1.10, p = 0.023). The results highlight the multifaceted nature of malnutrition, specifically anaemia in pastoral households, with interventions aimed at reducing disease infections in cattle, improved household dietary diversity, and community health education geared towards maternal and child nutrition being best placed to improve the overall household health outcomes relating to anaemia.