The prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia in adult migrants in Nigde, Turkey.

Abstract

Objectives: Anemia is a significant public health concern, particularly among migrants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency (ID), and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) among adult migrants in Nigde.

Methods: This retrospective study included a total of 2378 adult migrants who were admitted to Nigde Omer Halisdemir University Training and Research Hospital. The complete blood count, serum iron, unsaturated iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturation, and serum ferritin levels of all migrants were analyzed. The status and severity of anemia and ID were determined according to the definitions of the World Health Organization.

Results: Out of the migrants, 77.2% were female. The migrants originated from 40 different countries, with the majority of them coming from Syria (41.4%), followed by Afghanistan (27.3%), Iraq (9.1%), Iran (9.1%), and other countries (13.1%). The prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA among adult migrants was 20.8%, 23.8%, and 14%, respectively. In females, the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA in 25.5%, 29.9%, and 17.7%, respectively. In males, the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA was 4.8%, 3.1%, and 1.6%, respectively. 57.5% of the anemia cases were mild anemia and 57.9% were microcytic anemia. IDA accounted for 67.6% of total cases of anemia, 69.4% of females with anemia, and 34.6% of males with anemia. Serum iron, ferritin, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) levels in Syrians were significantly lower than those in all other countries.

Conclusion: Anemia among adult migrants was a moderate public health concern. IDA is the most common cause of anemia in females, but not in males. The prevalence of anemia, ID and IDA varied significantly by geography and gender. Public awareness, screening and prevention programs on iron supplementation and food fortification should be implemented to reduce the prevalence of anemia in at-risk populations.