Journal Article

The Prevalence of Anemia and Moderate-Severe Anemia in the US Population (NHANES 2003-2012)

Le, Chi Huu Hong

2016

Overview

Since anemia is associated with poor health outcomes, the prevalence of anemia is a significant public health indicator. Even though anemia is primarily caused by iron deficiency, low oxygen-carrying capacity may result from other conditions such as chronic diseases, which remain a relevant health concern in the United States. However, studies examining current rates of anemia in the total US population and in more specific subgroups are limited. Data from five National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2003 to 2012 were analyzed to assess two outcomes: anemia and moderate-severe anemia, which were based upon serum hemoglobin levels (Hb) as per World Health Organization (WHO) definitions. Statistical analysis using SAS examined temporal trends and the prevalence of anemia among sexes, age groups, and races/ethnicities. The study estimated that an average of 5.6% of the U.S. population met the criteria for anemia and 1.5% for moderate-severe anemia during this 10-year period. High-risk groups such as pregnant women, elderly persons, women of reproductive age, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics were identified, and relationships between multiple risk factors were examined. Rates of anemia in men increased monotonically with age, while that of women increased bimodally with peaks in age group 40-49 years and 80-85 years. The effect of risk factors was observed to compound. For instance, the prevalence of anemia in black women aged 80-85 years was 35.6%, 6.4 times higher than the population average. Moreover, anemia is a growing problem because of the increased prevalence of anemia (4.0% to 7.1%) and moderate-severe anemia (1.0% to 1.9%), which nearly doubled from 2003-2004 to 2011-2012. Thus, these results augment the current knowledge on anemia prevalence, severity, and distribution among subgroups in the US and raised anemia as an issue that requires urgent public health intervention.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adult / Age / Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Analysis / Anemia / Anemia - epidemiology / Anemia - metabolism / Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - epidemiology / Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - metabolism / Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - pathology / Biology and Life Sciences / Black or African American / Black People / Carrying capacity / Chronic Disease - epidemiology / Chronic diseases / Chronic illnesses / Elderly / Ethnicity / Female / Geriatrics / Health aspects / Health promotion / Health surveys / Hemoglobin / Hemoglobins / Hemoglobins - metabolism / Hispanic or Latino / Hispanic people / Hispanics / Humans / Iron / Iron deficiency / Iron deficiency anemia / Kidney diseases / Laboratories / Male / Medicine and Health Sciences / Middle Aged / Mortality / Nutrient deficiency / Nutrition / Nutrition Surveys / Older people / Oxygen / People and Places / Population / Population (statistical) / Pregnancy / Pregnant women / Public health / Risk analysis / Risk Factors / Risk groups / Statistical analysis / Subgroups / Surveys / Trends / United States - epidemiology / Womens health