IRON AND FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION COMPLIANCE AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN KARAGA DISTRICT, GHANA

Abstract

Iron deficiency anaemia is a public health concern in developing countries. Weekly Iron and Folic Acid ingestion can reduce the prevalence of nutritional anaemia among adolescent girls. In recognising the problems of the adolescent girls, the Girls Iron and Folic Tablet Supplementation program was launched in 2017 to reduce the rate of anaemia in adolescents and to empower them with requisite knowledge on health, nutrition and other preventive practices through health education. This study was conducted to assess the compliance to iron and folic acid supplementation and iron status among adolescent girls in Karaga District in Ghana. The study employed a cross-sectional design using in-school and out-of-school adolescent girls. Cluster and simple random probability sampling techniques were employed and a sample size of 404 was selected from the population using Cochran’s formula. Most of the respondents (54%) were between the ages of 15 – 19 years. Also, 81% of them still take Iron and Folic Acid tablets. The study revealed that overall, apart from socio-economic status of respondents, guardian’s level of education and in or out of school adolescent, all other variables did not have any statistically significant (p > 0.05) relationship with the adherence to the required number of Iron and Folic Acid intake per month in Karaga District. The study also showed that the majority (84.7%) of the respondents who are adolescent girls have strong knowledge of anaemia and Iron and Folic Acid. The study showed that more than half of the respondents (61.1%) have Hb levels greater than or equal to 12g/dl. With 38.9% of the respondents having Hb levels less than 12g/dl, the prevalence according to WHO is “medium” with classifications <15% - “low”, 15 – 40%- “medium” and >40% - “high”. Despite the challenges experienced by the adolescents, there is high compliance in taking the IFA tablets. Social and Behavior Change Communication programs need to be strengthened to educate people at the communities on the essence of the tablets and also the existence of the supplementation program need to be enforced