2024, Volume 17, Issue 8, pp 761 – 768

Prevalence and classification of anemia among children in Sudan: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Authors and Affiliations

Corresponding author Ibrahim Khider Ibrahim Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Al Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan E-mail: ibrahimkhider81@neelain.edu.sd

Abstract

Anemia remains a significant public health concern, particularly in developing countries like Sudan, where children are particularly vulnerable to its associated health implications. This study aimed to systematically assess the prevalence of anemia among Sudanese children. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in August 2021 and updated it in December 2022 to identify studies on anemia among Sudanese children. We searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Studies eligible for inclusion in this systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) reported data to calculate anemia prevalence in children using WHO criteria. We performed meta-analysis using R software with metaprop and metafor packages. Using a random effects model, we estimated the pooled prevalence of anemia among 8006 Sudanese children to be 53.5% (95% CI, 36.6–70.4%). Subgroup analysis revealed that 62.7% of the children had unclassified anemia, 39.1% had iron deficiency anemia, and 8.7% had sickle cell anemia. Over a 21-year period, childhood anemia in Sudan showed an increasing trend, rising from 40.7% (1999–2009) to 55.1% (2010–2015) and 58.1% (2016–2020). The findings indicate a significantly higher prevalence of anemia among Sudanese children compared to many other countries, highlighting the need for proactive measures to prevent and control anemia in this population.

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About this article

PMC ID: 11556522
PubMed ID: 
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2023-0441

Article Publishing Date (print): 8 2024
Available Online: 

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


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