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- Title
Mean Hemoglobin Levels in Venous Blood Samples and Prevalence of Anemia in Japanese Elementary and Junior High School Students.
- Authors
Igarashi, Toru; Itoh, Yasuhiko; Maeda, Miho; Igarashi, Tsutomu; Fukunaga, Yoshitaka
- Abstract
Screening for anemia has been performed in schools in Japan for over 30 years. The longterm effect of the nuclear power plant disaster on the prevalence of anemia in school age children is unknown. This research was performed to evaluate the prevalence of anemia in school age children and to determine grade-level and gender-related reference hemoglobin (Hb) levels prior to the nuclear disaster. Data for this research were obtained from results of screening for anemia obtained by venous blood sampling in schools in 2002. Mean Hb levels were calculated for each grade level (elementary school grades 1?6 and junior high school years 1?3) and according to gender, and the prevalence of anemia was determined. In our research, Tokyo Health Service Association guidelines were used to determine reference Hb levels for anemia. We demonstrated that Hb levels in boys increased with age during childhood and adolescence (from 13.1 ± 0.7 g dL in 7 year olds to 14.9 ± 1.1 gdL in 15 year olds); in girls, Hb levels peaked at menarche (13.7 ± 0.8 gdL in 12 year olds), decreasing slightly thereafter (13.4 ± 1.1 gdL in 15 year olds). The prevalence of anemia was 0.26% in elementary school boys, 0.27% in elementary school girls, and 1.21% in junior high school boys. The prevalence of anemia in second- and third-year junior high school girls was lower than that in first-year junior high school girls. Among all junior high school girls, 5.73% had mild anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia is the commonest type of anemia in high school girls, secondary to the relative lack of iron due to menstruation, the growth spurt and exercise. Appropriate dietary therapy and treatment of anemia, together with education about the dietary prevention of anemia, are important to reduce the prevalence of anemia in high school students. When complete blood counts are performed in regions thought to be affected by the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, our report can serve as a reference during evaluation of Hb levels.
- Subjects
ANEMIA; ELEMENTARY schools; MIDDLE schools; NUCLEAR energy; HEMOGLOBINS; BLOOD testing; DISEASE prevalence; HIGH school students
- Publication
Journal of Nippon Medical School, 2012, Vol 79, Issue 3, p232
- ISSN
1345-4676
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1272/jnms.79.232