2021, Vol. 3, Issue 1, Part I

Background: Anemia is still a major health problem in females of both rural and urban areas of the developing countries like India. The objective of the present study was to find out the hematological parameters and blood indices among non - pregnant females in rural and urban areas of East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India and correlate to type of anemia, degree of anemia, and percentage of anemia in both the rural as well as urban areas non-pregnant female subjects.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among non-pregnant female subjects of age group 18 – 35 years comprised of n = 100 subjects selected from rural area and n = 100 subjects from urban areas of East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The haematological parameters, Hb gm%, MCV (fL), RBC count / mm3, MCH (pg), PCV (%), MCHC (gm / dL) were investigated by Haematology Analyser - automated blood cell counter.

Results: Among the total sample of n = 200 non-pregnant female subjects of age group 18-45 years, the overall prevalence of anemia was observed 58%, recording 60% in rural area females and 56% in non-pregnant female subjects of urban area. The overall microcytic anemia was observed maximum (40%), recording 70% in rural area subjects and 67% in urban area subjects. The overall macrocytic anemias and normocytic aneamias were recorded 9% each. The macrocytic anemias were recorded 13.5% in the rural area and 17.8% in urban area. The normocytic anemias recorded 16.6% in rural area and 14.2% in urban area non-pregnant female subjects. Anova test done between non-anemic and anemic microcytic, macrocytic and normocytic groups, t-test done between every two parameters were statistically significant at p ≤ 0.005.

Conclusion: The present study results indicates the prevalence of anemia is slightly higher among rural non-pregnant female subjects of age group 18 – 35 years compared to urban area female subjects considering it to be a major health problem in the females of both rural as well as urban areas of developing countries like India. The current study results suggests, need of due emphasis on iron and folic acid supplementation and health and education on the consumption of iron rich foods, so as to bring down the prevalence of anemia among the adolescent girls.