Anaemia in early childhood among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children of Far North Queensland: a retrospective cohort study
Leonard, Dympna, Buttner, Petra, Thompson, Fintan, Makrides, Maria, and McDermott, Robyn (2019) Anaemia in early childhood among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children of Far North Queensland: a retrospective cohort study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 43 (4). pp. 319-327.
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Abstract
Objective: Early childhood anaemia affects health and neurodevelopment. This study describes anaemia among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children of Far North Queensland.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study used health information for children born between 2006 and 2010 and their mothers. We describe the incidence of early childhood anaemia and compare characteristics of children and mothers where the child had anaemia with characteristics of children and mothers where the child did not have anaemia using bivariate and multivariable analysis, by complete case (CC) and with multiple imputed (MI) data.
Results: Among these (n=708) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children of Far North Queensland, 61.3% (95%CI 57.7%, 64.9%) became anaemic between the ages of six and 23 months. Multivariable analysis showed a lower incidence of anaemia among girls (CC/MI p<0.001) and among children of Torres Strait Islander mothers or both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers (CC/MI p<0.001) compared to children of Aboriginal mothers. A higher incidence of anaemia was seen among children of mothers with parity three or more (CC/MI p<0.001); children born by caesarean section (CC/MI p<0.001); and children with rapid early growth (CC/MI p<0.001).
Conclusion: Early childhood anaemia is common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children of Far North Queensland. Poor nutrition, particularly iron deficiency, and frequent infections are likely causes.
Implications for public health: Prevention of early childhood anaemia in ‘Close the Gap’ initiatives would benefit the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children of Far North Queensland – and elsewhere in northern Australia.
| Item ID: | 58876 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1753-6405 |
| Keywords: | anaemia; Aboriginal; Torres; child; mother; Queensland |
| Copyright Information: | © 2019 The Authors. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. |
| Funders: | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) |
| Projects and Grants: | NHMRC post‐graduate scholarship APP1092732 |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Jul 2019 00:00 |
| FoR Codes: | 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3210 Nutrition and dietetics > 321005 Public health nutrition @ 50% 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450403 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child health and wellbeing @ 50% |
| SEO Codes: | 92 HEALTH > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920302 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Health Status and Outcomes @ 50% 92 HEALTH > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920301 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Determinants of Health @ 50% |
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