ASSESSING ANAEMIA

Hb concentration is the most reliable indicator of anaemia at the population level, as opposed to clinical measures which are subjective and therefore have more room for error. Measuring Hb concentration is relatively easy and inexpensive, and this measurement is frequently used as a proxy indicator of iron deficiency. However, anaemia can be caused by factors other than iron deficiency.

In addition, in populations where the prevalence of inherited haemoglobinopathies is high, the mean level of Hb concentration may be lowered. This underlines that the etiology of anaemia should be interpreted with caution if the only indicator used is Hb concentration. The main objective for assessing anaemia is to inform decision-makers on the type of measures to be taken to prevent and control anaemia. This implies that in addition to the measurement of Hb concentration, the causes of anaemia need to be identified considering that they may vary according to the population.