KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES REGARDING IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA AMONG SCHOOL-GOING RURAL ADOLESCENT GIRLS BELONGS TO RAJASTHAN

Abstract

Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) remains a major public health concern among adolescent girls in rural India, largely due to nutritional deficiencies and limited healthcare knowledge.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding IDA among rural school-going adolescent girls and to examine their association with socio-demographic factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 among 500 adolescent girls aged 12–18 years enrolled in government schools in rural Rajasthan, selected via random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices regarding IDA. Knowledge and practice scores were categorized as good, moderate, or poor, while attitudes were classified as positive or negative. Data were analyzed using SPSS v20.0.

Results: Regression analysis revealed that knowledge levels were significantly higher among adolescents from nuclear families (OR=1.65, p=0.004), households with higher parental education (up to OR=2.70, p=0.001), and higher-income families (up to OR=2.01, p=0.003), whereas family size showed no significant association. Attitude was not significantly associated with family type, though nuclear family adolescents had marginally higher odds of a positive attitude (p=0.057). A significant association was observed with family size, with smaller families (3–<5 members) showing more than double the odds of a positive attitude (OR=2.21, p=0.002). Parental education strongly influenced attitude. Practice scores were similarly associated with family size, parental education, and household income, whereas family type was not.

Conclusion: Parental education, family size, and household income emerged as key determinants of KAP outcomes, while family type had limited influence. Adolescents from smaller, higher-income families with better-educated parents demonstrated more favorable KAP. These findings highlight the need for targeted, family-centered, and education-focused interventions to improve awareness and promote effective preventive behaviors for IDA among rural adolescents.