Presenter(s): Nathaniel Sichter − Psychology
Faculty Mentor(s): Jeffrey Measelle, Dorianne Wright
Poster 91
Research Area: Global Health/Social Science
Funding: Friends Without A Boarder, Secondary Funder: Clinton Foundation
Laos is the poorest country in the Southeast Asia region (WHO, 2018). In 2017, Lao’s Global Hunger Index (GHI) rating was 27.5, indicating an alarming prevalence of malnourishment (WHO, 2018). Factors like poverty and poorly targeted/delivered nutritional programs influence this rating. Anemia – a condition marked by reduced hemoglobin concentration –can be caused by poor diet and exacerbated by infectious diseases and various social factors (Kotecha, 2011). The present study investigates the association between nutritional intake and anemia among young children, and whether contextual factors (i.e., SES, ethnicity, or access to health services) moderate that association. We hypothesized that malnourished children would show higher rates of anemia, and that this association would be strongest among poor and ethnically marginalized families with poor access to health services. Data were collected in 2014 from 968 children under five years of age in 90 villages across three districts in northern Laos. An adapted version of UNICEF’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS v.4) was used to measure a wide range of health indicators, including infant health status, families’ nutritional practices, composition of food basket, and issues of food security. Children’s hemoglobin levels were measured using a HemoCue Hb 201. Our cutoff for determining anemia was any hemoglobin concentration under 11g/dL. Preliminary analyses suggest that children sampled were undernourished with 47% experiencing stunting, 9% wasting, and 31% being underweight. Additionally, 57% were classified as anemic. Analyses are underway to explore the association between nutritional profile and child anemia, as well as to test potential moderators.