Abstract

This study determined the incidence and factors associated with anemia in children 6 months
to five years presenting at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital (FRRH), Western Uganda. This
was a hospital-based cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study determining the incidence
and factors associated with anemia in children aged 6 months to five years at FRRH. Data
collected using the questionnaire was coded and entered into Microsoft Excel version 2010
and then exported to STATA version 14.2. Data analysis and presentation were carried out
based on the specific objectives of this study. According to the study findings, most of the
respondents (50%) introduced other feeds to their babies at less than six months whereas
(16.7%) introduced other feeds to their babies at 6 months. The study concluded that most
respondents only sometimes ensured that their family ate a balanced diet every day as the
majority said 1 meal was eaten per day, most fed their children after 6 hours which was
inadequate and all contributed to the increased risk of anemia among children aged six months
to five years. The study recommended that the Ministry of Health should improve and
reenergize its campaigns and programs for the prevention of malnutrition in children less than
5 years old in an effort to improve mothers’ knowledge about the prevention of malnutrition.
Health workers should endeavor to offer sensitization and training of mothers on nutrition
education