Factors contributing to nutritional Anemia in children aged 0 to 23 months in the Kananga health zone

Abstract

Our study focused on ‘Factors contributing to nutritional anaemia in children aged 0 to 23 months in the Kananga health zone’.

The aim of our study was to describe the factors contributing to nutritional anaemia in children aged 0 to 23 months in the Kananga health zone. To achieve this, we pursued the following specific objectives:

• To identify the factors contributing to nutritional anaemia in children aged 0 to 23 months;
• To determine the most common types of anaemia among children aged 0 to 23 months;
• To propose possible preventive measures to avoid anaemia.

We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study with an analytical focus, using a survey method supported by face-to-face interviews as the data collection tool for a sample of 362 respondents.

Following analysis and interpretation of the data, we obtained the following results:

• 61 per cent of respondents were in the 25 to 34 age group;
• 76 per cent of respondents were married;
• 64 per cent of respondents were unemployed;
• 86 per cent of respondents were Catholic;
• 7 per cent of respondents were part of a household of between 4 and 7 people;
• 64 per cent of respondents had a monthly income of 60,000–100,000 Congolese francs;
• 07 per cent of respondents eat foufou with leaves and small fish at home;
• 8 per cent of respondents eat one meal a day at home;
• 73 per cent of respondents wean their children at 12 months;
• 22 per cent of respondents give their children maize porridge as a complementary food;
• 46 per cent of respondents feed their children once a day;
• 71 per cent of respondents have not given birth to low-birth-weight babies;
• 10 per cent of respondents have not had children suffering from anaemia;
• 58 per cent of respondents cited severe malaria as the cause of anaemia.

Following a bivariate analysis of our results, we found that the following factors influence a history of anaemia: exclusive breastfeeding; complementary feeding; the age at which the child was weaned; the foods consumed in households; household size; marital status; the mother’s age; and occupation.

In light of these results and to address the study’s research questions, we confirm the initial hypothesis that the socio-demographic factors: the mother’s age, marital status, socio-economic factors (household size, occupation) and socio-environmental factors (food intake, food quality) underlie nutritional anaemia in children aged 0 to 24 months in the Kananga health zone.

Keywords: Factors, Explanatory, Anaemia, Nutritional.

Received Date: August 17, 2026

Accepted Date: September 09, 2026

Published Date: October 01, 2026

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/955