cross-sectional·public health, epidemiology, obstetrics and gynecology, hematology, nutrition·PMC10576365
Access to basic sanitation facilities reduces the prevalence of anaemia among women of reproductive age in sub-saharan Africa
BMC Public Health · 8 authors, 6 centres
AI SUMMARY
FIDELITY 100%
POPULATION100,861 pregnant and non-pregnant women aged 15 to 49 from 27 Sub-Saharan African countries
INTERVENTIONHousehold access to basic sanitation facilities
COMPARISONNo household access to basic sanitation facilities
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This cross-sectional study analysed Demographic and Health Survey data from 27 Sub-Saharan African countries and found that women of reproductive age living in households with access to basic sanitation had a significantly lower risk of anaemia (AOR = 0.95) compared to those without access.
Full summary
886 CHARS
Approximately 41% of women had haemoglobin levels indicating anaemia, while only 37% of households had access to basic sanitation facilities. Using multilevel regression adjusted for country fixed-effects and individual and household-level characteristics, the study found that access to basic sanitation was associated with a reduced likelihood of anaemia (AOR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.93, 0.98; p < 0.01). Additional factors associated with lower anaemia risk included formal education, being in a union, health insurance enrollment, radio listening, and higher wealth. Pregnant and breastfeeding women had a higher anaemia risk. The cross-sectional design limits causal inference, and the pooled-country analysis may have concealed country-specific associations. Nonetheless, findings suggest that improving sanitation access could be one strategy for reducing anaemia burden in the region.
PICO
PPOPULATION
100,861 pregnant and non-pregnant women aged 15 to 49 from 27 Sub-Saharan African countries
