Knowledge and practices on childhood anaemia, thalassaemia and iron deficiency among mothers of children aged between 6 and 59 months in a suburban area of Sri Lanka

Table 2 Knowledge of anaemia and iron deficiency

	Frequency (N = 392)	Percentage (%)
What do you understand by anaemia?
Reduction in haemoglobin	87	22.2
Reduction in red blood cells	44	11.2
Reduction in body iron	117	30.2
Reduction in blood volume	47	12.0
Not known	97	24.7
Accurate identification of symptoms of anaemia
Irritability	42	10.7
Loss of appetite	108	27.6
Fatigue	158	40.3
Faintness	109	27.8
Dyspnoea	38	9.7
Pica	53	13.5
Developmental delay	172	43.9
Accurate identification of causes of anaemia
Iron deficiency	326	83.2
Folate deficiency	46	11.7
Vitamin B12 deficiency	52	13.3
Hookworm infestations	35	8.9
Thalassaemia	54	13.8
How many iron-rich foods could the mother correctly name
None	49	12.5
One	26	6.6
Two	53	13.5
Three	69	17.6
Four	62	15.8
Five	133	33.9
Knowledge of inhibitors of iron absorption
Breastfeeding after a meal reduces iron absorption	34	8.7
Tea after a meal reduces iron absorption	253	64.5

ISSN: 2072-1315