Assessing the Knowledge, Practice, and Health Beliefs of Primary School Students in Bangladesh Regarding the Prevention of Iron Deficiency Anemia

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a condition where the body lacks enough hemoglobin or red blood cells, and is the leading global cause of anemia. It affects 40-50% of students in impoverished and emerging nations, compared to 6-20% in affluent nations. The main causes of IDA are poor food quality and reduced dietary iron bioavailability. Students with IDA may experience symptoms such as pale complexion, weakness, and difficulty breathing, as well as cognitive issues such as anxiety, irritability, and a decline in cognitive function. IDA can be treated with an iron-rich diet, oral iron therapy, or iron supplements. The aim of this study is to assess primary school students' knowledge, practice, and beliefs about IDA prevention and to determine the effectiveness of an education program on these factors.

Aim and Objectives: The study aims to assess the knowledge, practice, and health beliefs of primary school students regarding the prevention of iron deficiency anemia in order to understand the current state of these factors and identify potential areas for improvement.

Method: In this study, a descriptive design was used to assess the knowledge, practice, and health beliefs of primary school students in Chuadanga, Bangladesh regarding the prevention of iron deficiency anemia. A sample of 300 students was selected through a multi-stage random sampling technique and data was collected using a structured interview questionnaire. The knowledge, practice, and health beliefs of the students were scored and classified as good/average/poor, satisfactory/unsatisfactory, and positive/neutral/negative, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and the results were presented in the form of frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations.

Results: The results showed that the majority of the students were aged 11-12 years and came from families with relatively low levels of education and income, with parents primarily employed or engaged in farming or free business. The results also showed that there was a significant relationship between the knowledge of the students about iron deficiency anemia and several factors, including gender, father's and mother's education, mother's occupation, place of residence, and family income. These results suggest that students who come from more educated and urban families, and whose mothers are housewives, are more likely to have satisfactory knowledge about this health issue. Further research is needed to explore these associations and identify potential interventions to improve the knowledge of primary school students about the prevention of iron deficiency anemia.

Conclusion: The study found significant associations between the students' knowledge, practice, and health beliefs with demographic and socio-economic factors. The study recommends interventions to improve the students' knowledge, practice, and health beliefs, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. It suggests educational programs, targeted health messages, and efforts to improve the availability and accessibility of iron-rich foods, providing information on causes, symptoms and consequences of iron deficiency anemia, providing iron-rich foods and supplements, collaborating with local health authorities and schools to implement programs and conducting further research to explore specific factors that influence the knowledge, practice and health beliefs of primary school students regarding iron deficiency anemia and identifying effective interventions to address these issues.