Tracing the Socio-demographic Correlates of Anemia among Reproductive Age Women in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan

Abstract

Anemia is an endemic health issue, particularly for women across low-income countries. Pakistani
women are more susceptible to develop anemia at a specific age of their life due to poverty, low
levels of education, gender discrimination, unavailability of healthcare services, and poor hygienic
conditions at the household level. Previous researches mainly focused on the clinical factors of
anemia and very little systematic research on socio-economic and demographic risk factors has
been pursued. This study is aimed at analyzing such risk factors for anemia among women of
reproductive age in the selected area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan. A crosssectional field survey was conducted to gather data from 384 women having at least one child.
Standard univariate and bivariate econometric techniques helped in qualifying the hypothesis that
anemia among women has been strongly associated with the socio-economic variables of family
income and education while demographic variables of age at marriage, number of pregnancies, and
distance from health care facilities also played important role. The key policy message is that
health facilities, economic self-sufficiency, and education may help in alleviating anemia among
vulnerable women.