Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Background: Anaemia has been identified as a major public health problem that affects both developed and developing countries, including Malaysia. To prevent anaemia, knowledge is a key parameter for changing attitudes and practices. Aim: This present study aims to determine the association of knowl...
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| Format: | Article |
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SAGE Publications
2022
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118421/ |
| _version_ | 1848867758271365120 |
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| author | Wong, Hwee Shan Tay, Janice Ee Fang Kaur, Satvinder Gan, Wan Ying Che’Ya, Nik Norasma Tan, Choon Hui Tung, Serene En Hui |
| author_facet | Wong, Hwee Shan Tay, Janice Ee Fang Kaur, Satvinder Gan, Wan Ying Che’Ya, Nik Norasma Tan, Choon Hui Tung, Serene En Hui |
| author_sort | Wong, Hwee Shan |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: Anaemia has been identified as a major public health problem that affects both developed and developing countries, including Malaysia. To prevent anaemia, knowledge is a key parameter for changing attitudes and practices. Aim: This present study aims to determine the association of knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia with anaemia status of urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods: A total of 209 urban poor adolescents (50.7% males and 49.3% females) aged 10 to 17 years old were recruited from eight low-cost flats (People Housing Programme) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia. Anaemia status from the haemoglobin level concentration was determined using HemoCue® 201 + hemoglobinometer. Results: The prevalence of anaemia among urban poor adolescents was 58.4%, particularly prevalent among females (p < 0.001) and household size of six and above (p = 0.036). Only 29.2% and 10.0% of them were found to have good levels of knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia, respectively. Adolescents with high knowledge level tended to be anaemic as compared to poor knowledge level (AOR(95% CI) = 2.20 (1.02, 5.61), p < 0.05) after adjusting for sex, household size and monthly household income. Conclusion: Findings showed high prevalence of anaemia and low levels of knowledge and practices of nutritional anaemia prevention among the urban poor adolescents. Nutrition education and intervention are needed to improve the anaemia status of the urban poor adolescents. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T14:41:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-118421 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T14:41:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | SAGE Publications |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-1184212025-08-04T04:04:54Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118421/ Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Wong, Hwee Shan Tay, Janice Ee Fang Kaur, Satvinder Gan, Wan Ying Che’Ya, Nik Norasma Tan, Choon Hui Tung, Serene En Hui Background: Anaemia has been identified as a major public health problem that affects both developed and developing countries, including Malaysia. To prevent anaemia, knowledge is a key parameter for changing attitudes and practices. Aim: This present study aims to determine the association of knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia with anaemia status of urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods: A total of 209 urban poor adolescents (50.7% males and 49.3% females) aged 10 to 17 years old were recruited from eight low-cost flats (People Housing Programme) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia. Anaemia status from the haemoglobin level concentration was determined using HemoCue® 201 + hemoglobinometer. Results: The prevalence of anaemia among urban poor adolescents was 58.4%, particularly prevalent among females (p < 0.001) and household size of six and above (p = 0.036). Only 29.2% and 10.0% of them were found to have good levels of knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia, respectively. Adolescents with high knowledge level tended to be anaemic as compared to poor knowledge level (AOR(95% CI) = 2.20 (1.02, 5.61), p < 0.05) after adjusting for sex, household size and monthly household income. Conclusion: Findings showed high prevalence of anaemia and low levels of knowledge and practices of nutritional anaemia prevention among the urban poor adolescents. Nutrition education and intervention are needed to improve the anaemia status of the urban poor adolescents. SAGE Publications 2022-08-28 Article PeerReviewed Wong, Hwee Shan and Tay, Janice Ee Fang and Kaur, Satvinder and Gan, Wan Ying and Che’Ya, Nik Norasma and Tan, Choon Hui and Tung, Serene En Hui (2022) Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Nutrition and Health, 30 (2). pp. 331-340. ISSN 0260-1060; eISSN: 2047-945X https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02601060221122182 10.1177/02601060221122182 |
| spellingShingle | Wong, Hwee Shan Tay, Janice Ee Fang Kaur, Satvinder Gan, Wan Ying Che’Ya, Nik Norasma Tan, Choon Hui Tung, Serene En Hui Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| title | Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| title_full | Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| title_short | Knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| title_sort | knowledge and practices in preventing nutritional anaemia of the urban poor adolescents in kuala lumpur, malaysia |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118421/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118421/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118421/ |