Abstract

Anemia in children remains a major public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and effect of urbanization on the occurrence of anemia in an endemic malaria urban area in Burkina Faso. A cross-sectional community-based study was carried out in both old and recent areas of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, and included 875 children aged 6 to 59 months. For all participants, socio-economic, demographic, and anthropometric data, as well as information on diets and residences, were collected. Additionally, blood samples were drawn for hemoglobin assessments and malaria detection. Multiple linear regression was used to test the association between hemoglobin concentration and participants’ residences. In this study, 52.11% of participants were male, and the mean (±SD) age was 32.0 (±0.5) months. The mean (±SD) hemoglobin concentration was 10.37 (±1.57) g/L. The majority (61.3%) of children had anemia, with a significant difference between old and recent areas (p=0.003). The prevalence of anemia in the old and recent areas was 66.0% and 56.4%, respectively. However, a strong positive modifying effect from old to recent areas (p=0.002) was found regarding hemoglobin concentration. This study showed that living in either an old or recent area in endemic malaria urban Burkina Faso affects hemoglobin concentration. Interventions to reduce childhood anemia must include considerations of residency patterns.

Key words: Burkina – Faso, anemia, children, urban, old area, recent area.