Anaemia cases soar in women as men record decline

Cases of anaemia have spiralled over the last three decades; with a glaring gender disparity between men and women in their reproductive years, a new study shows.

Cases have shot up by 420 million cases over the past 30 years between 1990-2021, with the impact more pronounced on children aged below five years, girls, expectant mothers and women in general.

At least 1.92 billion people were found to be anaemic as at 2021, while one in four people of the world’s population is estimated to be anaemic, according to experts at the Seattle based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration within them is lower than normal. Anaemia occurs when there isn’t enough haemoglobin in the body to carry oxygen to the organs and tissues.

 IHME researchers in collaboration with Global Burden of Disease noted an accelerated progress rate; with a sharp decline in anaemia cases in men while children and women of reproductive age demonstrated a steady progress.

Gender disparity was more pronounced during reproductive age between 15-49 years, with an anaemia prevalence rate higher by over three-fold in women at 33.7 per cent compared to 11.3 per cent in men.

 “For many years, the focus has been on reducing anaemia globally but the progress has been minimal in women and children as a group,” notes IHME researcher Wil Gardner.

“This is a nuanced situation which revolves around socioeconomic status, ability to treat and identify underlying causes, nutrition access and unmet need for contraception.”

“Our data illustrates how adult men have fared much better than children aged below five years and women between 15-49 years. To ensure we do not leave behind women and children, there is a need for a shift to improved cultural awareness and multi-sectoral approaches.”

Worldwide, 825 million women and 444 million men were affected in 2021 where dietary iron deficiency was found to be the leading cause for anaemia constituting 66.2 percent of the total cases.

While insufficient iron intake could be the top most common anaemia cause, other factors are also major contributors as explained by medics.

Globally, anaemia is one of the three top causes of years lived with disability and is majorly linked to iron deficiency.

The team analysed 37 models of underlying causes of anaemia to come up with the findings, according to the study’s lead author who is also an Anesthesiology Professor at the University of Washington.

Key factors attributed to anaemia spike include maternal haemorrhage and gynaecological disorders among women in their reproductive years as well as iron deficient diets for children aged below five years.

Hereditary blood disorders such as sickle cell anaemia, communicable diseases like HIV/Aids, vector-borne illnesses such as malaria are key contributors in anaemia endemic zones, the experts note.

The latest research spanning three decades between 1990-2021 further shows huge improvements exhibited by fewer severe cases of anaemia globally.

“The picture around anaemia has improved globally as indicated by this 30-year-study. But when we narrow down to gender, age and geography, wide disparities are still there,” explains IHME’s Neonatal and Child Health Department Head Professor Nick Kassebaum.

“It is our hope that they will use this data to develop treatment and intervention plans that are more comprehensive particularly for the most vulnerable: children, the elderly and women who have attained reproductive age. The importance for clinicians to treat these causes in parallel to the anaemia itself cannot be overemphasized,” he states.

 “Depending on the affected group, anaemia has different repercussions. Early management and treatment is vital in children as the disease impacts brain cognition and development. This could mean receiving treatment for malaria, and other parasitic infections as well as access to high quality foods that are rich in nutrients,” explains IHME Researcher on Neonatal and Child Health, Dr Theresa McHugh.
Soaring anaemia cases in girls and young women globally have been linked to the prevailing education gap on menstruation, limited resources on managing menstrual complications as well as insufficient awareness.

“Fatigue and weakness associated with anaemia can distort desired activities which can ultimately have an impact on mental health,” explains Dr McHugh.

“Most young women and girls are faced with inadequate information regarding how to manage or reverse anaemia in the event it occurs, those faced with menstrual problems have insufficient options for managing the condition, not to mention education gap about loss of blood during menstruation.”

Coming at a time when dietary modifications have been highly overhyped, the study highlights the need to treat, as a critical first step, underlying anaemia causes which include tropical diseases, malaria and chronic kidney disease.

Previous studies have linked anaemia to increased infection rate in mother and child, stillbirths, short gestation, low birthweight, postpartum haemorrhage, increased rates of preterm labour, anxiety and depression.

Regional variation in disease distribution was also reflected in cause-specific anaemia burden whereby sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia presently bear the greatest burden with the highest cases.

Malaria featured prominently as the leading anaemia contributor in Eastern African countries, among them Kenya, Central and Western African regions.

In Southern Africa, HIV/AIDS emerged as the second largest contributor to anaemia YLDs.

Western Sub-Saharan African countries such as Zambia, Togo and Mali have the highest anaemia prevalence at 47.4 percent followed by South Asia and Central sub-Saharan Africa with 35.7 percent each.

Regions with the least cases include Norway, Monaco and Iceland each with 5 percent, Australasia 5.7 percent, Western Europe 6 percent and North America.

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