Research article

An epidemiological study on anemia among institutionalized people with intellectual and/or motor disability with special reference to its frequency, severity and predictors

Hiroko Ohwada^1* , Takeo Nakayama^2* , Nobuo Nara^3* , Yuji Tomono^4* and Keiko Yamanaka^4*

¹  Department of Food Sciences, Ibaraki Christian University, 6-11-1 Ohmika Hitachi, Ibaraki, 319-1295, Japan

²  Department of Health Informatics, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan

³  Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan

⁴  Ibaraki Prefectural Hospital of ASUNARO-NO-SATO, 1460 Sugizaki, Uchihara-machi, Higashiibaraki-gun, Ibaraki 319-0306, Japan

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

BMC Public Health 2006, 6:85doi:10.1186/1471-2458-6-85

Published:	3 April 2006

Abstract

Background

To examine the type, frequency, severity, and predictors of anemia and its relationship with co-morbid conditions among institutionalized people with intellectual and/or motor disability.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study at a public facility for people with intellectual and/or motor disability in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. Health checkup data obtained in 2001 from 477 people with intellectual disability (male: 286, average age 40.6 ± 12.3; female: 191, average age 45.1 ± 11.6) were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

The prevalence of anemia among male participants was higher than in female participants for each disability category (intellectual disability, 41.1%, 4.2%; cerebral palsy, 37.5%, 4.8%; Down's syndrome, 15.0%, 0%; severe motor and intellectual disabilities, 61.9%, 16.7%). Most participants with anemia (93.8 – 100%) showed a normocytic normochromic anemia pattern. Multivariate analysis revealed that factors related to an increase in frequency included sex (male), low body mass index (BMI), use of anticonvulsants or major tranquilizers, and a high zinc sulfate turbidity test (ZTT) value. No clinically diagnosed co-morbid condition was found to be related to the presence of anemia.

Conclusion

A high frequency of mild normocytic normochromic anemia in institutionalized people with intellectual and/or motor disability was observed, particularly among males. Medications and chronic inflammation may increase the risk of anemia.