Knowledge And Awareness of Iron Deficiency Anemia Among Female Students in Dubai

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a global health issue. Its prevalence is high in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly among females of reproductive age. Conducting interventions to increase knowledge and awareness has been proven to be effective. Therefore, it may also help improve the lifestyle and practices of the population, decreasing the prevalence. This study aims to assess the knowledge and awareness of IDA among female university students. This study was cross-sectional and used a convenience sampling approach. A published survey was modified, which contained a total of 49 questions categorized into five main sections with an additional subsection for anemic students. A total of 200 female students aged between 18 – 26 years old participated. Results revealed that overall, students have high knowledge and awareness levels of IDA. Most students knew that anemia is a health problem and needs medical attention. The majority of students also knew the risk factors, symptoms, means of diagnosis, and screening for IDA and had awareness regarding sources of dietary iron, treatment, and prevention methods. Nonetheless, broader studies are recommended to obtain results on a larger scale.