Prevalence of anemia and contributing factors among patients at MZH: A cross-sectional study

Background: Anemia is a global health issue, and its prevalence varies depending on multiple factors such as age, gender, and nutritional status. This research aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and identify its related factors at Madinat Zayed Hospital.
Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the hospital’s electronic medical records system, covering the period from January 2022 to March 2023. Data on hemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin B12, transferrin saturation, transferrin, and iron levels were collected. The total sample included 15,776 hemoglobin measurements, 1,119 ferritin, 226 vitamin B12, 1,801 transferrin saturation, 325 transferrin, and 1,472 iron measurements. Anemia was diagnosed based on WHO criteria (Hgb ≤121 g/L for females and ≤138 g/L for males) and classified as mild, moderate, or severe. SPSS (version 26.0) was used for the analysis of data. Prevalence was measured using descriptive statistics. At the same time, Chi-square tests were used to assess the association of anemia with gender, age, and biochemical markers.
Results: The overall prevalence of anemia was 86.3% (n = 13,621). Anemia severity was classified as moderate in 48.9% (n = 7,713) of cases, mild in 29.8% (n = 4,705), and severe in 6.6% (n = 1,036). Significant associations were found between anemia and gender, with females being more prone to moderate anemia (Chi-square = 3000.64, p = 0.000). Age was also a factor, as middle-aged patients (31-50 years) were more likely to have moderate anemia (Chi-square = 994.32, p = 0.000). However, no significant association was found between ferritin levels, iron levels, transferrin levels, vitamin B12 levels, and anemia severity.
Conclusion: Anemia remains highly prevalent at Madinat Zayed Hospital, with middle-aged females being particularly affected. While gender and age showed strong associations with anemia severity, ferritin, and transferrin saturation levels did not exhibit a significant correlation.