The prevalence of anaemia among Saudi school girls: a comparison of two techniques

Abstract

Purpose

Continuous integration of health screens to investigate and track variations in the students’ healthiness over time is essential. However, the sustainability of this practice remains challenging. The purpose of this paper is to identify the prevalence of anaemia based on haemoglobin (Hb) estimation among Saudi school girls in Jeddah city by examining capillary and venous blood.

Design/methodology/approach

The design is investigative, using primary data to define the prevalence of anaemia based on two techniques. Samples of venous (n=408) and capillary (n=797) blood from Saudi school girls in Jeddah city was collected and compared using: Reflotron Plus System method (capillary blood) and ABX MICROS 60-OT Automated Haematology Analyser for (venous blood).

Findings

When the capillary blood was used, the prevalence of anaemia was 40 per cent (n=319 out of 797). Using the venous blood, the prevalence was 29.4 per cent (n=120 out of 408). Comparison of Hb data for both tests showed a significant difference in Hb levels with levels between the 10g and 12 g/dl particularly and both measurements demonstrated good agreement (ICC=0.87, 95 per cent CI (0.845, 0.892)).

Research limitations/implications

The data were collected only in Jeddah city. Further studies should include a national sample that is representative of both gender from different backgrounds and geographical areas in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Practical implications

The high prevalence of anaemia within the school girls’ population require decision makers to devise a set of maintainable projects to progress students’ general health, including health education and supplementation such as iron, particularly if anaemia is diagnosed to be nutrition-related. This particularly applied to the health centres at female schools that have anaemia screening programmes that going on in Saudi schools.

Originality/value

This study reveals a technique-based measures of anaemia prevalence that have public and practical health implications.

Citation

Aljaaly, E.A. and Khalifa, N.A. (2016), "The prevalence of anaemia among Saudi school girls: a comparison of two techniques", World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 82-88. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJSTSD-12-2015-0056