Predictors of anemia among infants at the age of one year attending health centers in the West Bank/Palestine: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background Anemia is a major problem among infants aged under 1 year. There are limited studies in Palestine about anemia among infants. Thus, this study aimed to address this gap. Methods A retrospective study was conducted. A review of 1249 infants recorded in primary health centers of the West Bank, Palestine was performed during the period from January to December 2022. The collected data included sociodemographic factors, feeding practices, and hemoglobin levels. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and binary logistic regression were performed to analyze the data. Results The findings showed that 35.2% of infants were anemic, of which 67.2% had mild anemia. The detrimental predictors for anemia were introducing complementary feeding earlier than six months of age, receiving exclusive bottle feeding with complementary feeding (solid or semisolid) at 12 months, and low family income. While receiving exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding at 12 months was a protective predictor. Conclusion Healthcare professionals should develop intervention programs to enhance hemoglobin levels and decrease anemia among infants while considering correlating factors.