The incidence of anemia in the adult working population of Vojvodina

Abstract

Background: Anemia is a global public health problem of endemic proportions, especially in women, and with serious health consequences. Anemia was defined according to the World Health Organization criteria as hemoglobin concentration <130 g/L for men and <120 g/L for women. The incidence of anemia varies between regions, so the aim of the study was to determine the incidence of anemia in a randomly selected sample of adult working individuals of both sexes, in Vojvodina. Methods: The study included a total of 6087 subjects (4658 men and 1429 non-pregnant women) aged 18-65 years who presented for a regular checkup at the Public Health Institute of Vojvodina. Blood specimen collection was performed by antecubital venipuncture in all subjects. Results: The results showed that the incidence of anemia in adults in Vojvodina was 7.7%, and it was more frequent in women (20%) than in men (3.86%). The most frequent was normocytic anemia, whereas microcytic anemia was less prevalent. Macrocytic anemia was found in only 3.3% of subjects, exclusively in women. The greatest proportion of anemic subjects, regardless of sex, had hemoglobin levels that indicated mild anemia (Hb 100-119 g/L for women, and 100-129 g/L for men). Only 4% of men and 12% of women had Hb levels that indicated the presence of moderate or severe anemia (≤100 g/L). Conclusions: Considering the medical, social and economic consequences anemia may produce, identification of risk factors and application of adequate preventive measures should be a public health priority.