PreprintArticleVersion 1Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Association between Knowledge about Anemia, Food Consumption Behaviors, and Hematocrit Level among School-Age Children in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand
Version 1
: Received: 17 October 2022 / Approved: 19 October 2022 / Online: 19 October 2022 (10:06:28 CEST)
How to cite:
Kaewpawong, P.; Kusol, K.; Bunkarn, O.; Sutthisompohn, S. Association between Knowledge about Anemia, Food Consumption Behaviors, and Hematocrit Level among School-Age Children in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. Preprints2022, 2022100278. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202210.0278.v1
Kaewpawong, P.; Kusol, K.; Bunkarn, O.; Sutthisompohn, S. Association between Knowledge about Anemia, Food Consumption Behaviors, and Hematocrit Level among School-Age Children in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. Preprints 2022, 2022100278. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202210.0278.v1
Kaewpawong, P.; Kusol, K.; Bunkarn, O.; Sutthisompohn, S. Association between Knowledge about Anemia, Food Consumption Behaviors, and Hematocrit Level among School-Age Children in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. Preprints2022, 2022100278. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202210.0278.v1
APA Style
Kaewpawong, P., Kusol, K., Bunkarn, O., & Sutthisompohn, S. (2022). Association between Knowledge about Anemia, Food Consumption Behaviors, and Hematocrit Level among School-Age Children in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202210.0278.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Kaewpawong, P., Onuma Bunkarn and Sirigran Sutthisompohn. 2022 "Association between Knowledge about Anemia, Food Consumption Behaviors, and Hematocrit Level among School-Age Children in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202210.0278.v1
Abstract
Anemia is a significant public health problem among children, especially school-age children because their body quickly produces red blood cells to provide sufficient blood volume with plasma expansion to maintain blood concentration. This research aimed to study the anemia situation, knowledge about anemia, food consumption behaviors, and the association between knowledge, food consumption behaviors, and hematocrit level among school-age children in primary school, in Thasala district, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.This is a descriptive study among 408 students, Grades 4 to 6, aged 9-12 years. Research instruments included the demographic data of the children and their knowledge about anemia, food consumption behaviors, and hematocrit assessment. Data were analyzed using descriptive, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, and logistic regression statistics. The results revealed that 23.2% of the samples had anemia, whereas 22.22% had mild anemia and 0.98% had moderate anemia. The children knew about anemia, where the mean score was at a moderate level (Mean= 6.63; SD= 2.51) out of 10. The mean score on food consumption behaviors was in the moderate level (Mean= 17.49; SD= 3.68) out of 24. There were significantly positive correlations between the knowledge about anemia and the hematocrit level at a moderate level (r= 0.45, p< 0.001). Correlation analysis revealed moderate food consumption behaviors with the hematocrit level (r= 0.40, p< 0.001). When confirm with Logistic regression found that knowledge about anemia (OR = 9.15, 95% CI: 4.57-18.34), and food consumption behaviors (OR = 19.09, 95% CI: 9.71-37.53) were significantly associated with the hematocrit level. Conclusions: This study showed that knowledge and appropriate food consumption behaviors are associated with hematocrit levels. Enhancing knowledge about anemia and food consumption behaviors may be reduced the prevalence of anemia in school-age children. The health care providers in primary care should be encouraged children to have health education and eat sufficient food.
Keywords
knowledge; food consumption behaviors; hematocrit level; school-age children
Subject
Medicine and Pharmacology, Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.