Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Summer 2026

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nutrition

Committee Chair

Tafere Belay, PhD

Second Committee Member

Kelly Pritchett, PhD

Third Committee Member

Nicole Stendell-Hollis, PhD

Abstract

Anemia in children under five years is a serious public health emergency in the globe, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and it is among the leading causes of disabilities in the world. Children under five years old are at greater risk of experiencing anemia due to their rapid growth, susceptibility to infections, and poor dietary intake and practices. Anemia has negative impact on children’s physical and cognitive development and increases their risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes in later life. Based on WHO classification, anemia is a severe public health concern in Ghana, with the factors contributing to it being multifaceted. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the major risk factors that contribute to anemia among children aged 6-24 months (younger age group) and 25-59 months (older age group). This study was done using the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) dataset, which included 3658 children aged 6 to 59 months. A multilevel binary logistic regression model was used to examine the risk factors for childhood anemia, and significance was determined at p < 0.05.

The overall weighted prevalence of anemia was 49.1%. Based on groups, the younger and older groups had 60.4% and 41.7%, respectively. The risk factors specific to the younger age group were breastfeeding status (OR 1.28; CI 0.94, 1.74), maternal education (OR 0.72; CI 0.52, 1.00), and cooking fuel (OR 0.68; CI 0.50, 0.92), while for the older age group, they were gender (OR 0.72; CI 0.60, 0.87), fever (OR 1.96; CI 1.53, 2.51), underweight (OR 1.96; CI 1.47, 2.62), maternal pregnancy (OR 1.55; CI 1.15, 2.07), maternal age [(OR 0.73; CI 0.53, 0.99), (OR 0.48; CI 0.33, 0.70)], and birth order [(OR 1.55; CI 1.09, 2.200, (OR 1.56; CI 1.03, 2.37), (OR 2.05; CI 1.36, 3.11)]. Key factors that were significant for both groups were maternal anemia, type of toilet facility, religious affiliation, and type of residence. Anemia prevalence also varied by region. There are various factors that are unique to each age group, and thus, interventions should be tailored to the nutritional and developmental needs of each group.

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