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Anaemia Among Refugees Pregnant Women in Gaza Strip: Perceptions, Awareness and Opinions and Attitudes

Received: 23 May 2019     Accepted: 25 June 2019     Published: 10 July 2019
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Abstract

Anaemia in pregnancy is the most common public health concern in both developed and developing worlds like Palestine. Little is known about this significant health issue. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the perception, opinions and attitudes of anaemia among refugees pregnant women in Gaza strip. A cross-sectional study was employed among a random sample of 164 women or subjects, with a response rate of 81%. The survey was conducted at UNRWA antenatal health centers at refugee camps in Gaza strip. The study was approved by United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) health department. The study elucidated that a higher rate of women were knowledgeable and had ideas on anaemia, however, some women had inadequate knowledge on anaemia during pregnancy. There were a concern and misconception regarding some issues on anaemia such as; lack of knowledge on the effect of drinking tea on iron absorption; and on the side effects of iron pills during pregnancy. Highly positive opinions and attitudes toward anaemia were observed in most women. The study found that a high proportion of women were dissatisfied with the volume of health education sessions on anaemia at UNRWA antenatal health centers and many women had not attended or joined such sessions. In general, the study declined to find a significant differences regarding anaemia between women with and those without health education sessions on anaemia. Finally, the study suggests that, an effective and a clear health education strategy is needed in order to improve women perceptions, awareness, opinions and attitudes regarding anaemia in Palestine. Further researches are important and needed in this scope.

Published in Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics (Volume 7, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.jgo.20190704.13
Page(s) 109-115
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Perceptions, Anaemia, Refugees, Pregnant Women, UNRWA, Gaza Strip

References
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[2] N. Mikki, H. F. Abdul-Rahim, H. Stigum and G. Holmboe-Osttesen. Anaemia prevalence and associated sociodemographic and dietary factors among Palestinian adolescents in the World Bank; 2011. Palestine.
[3] Knowledge and practices of maternity regarding anaemia and iron supplementation in Rural Malawi: a cross-sectional study. African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development. 2009; 9 (1): 550-554. Available from: http://www.bioline.org.br/request?nd0900 (cited 17 May 2019).
[4] World health organization (WHO). Anaemia. WHO; 2010. Available from: http://www.who.int/topics/anaemia/en/(cited March 2019).
[5] World health organization (WHO). Iron deficiency anaemia: assessment, prevention, and control. A guide for program managers. Geneva. WHO; 2001 (WHO/NHD/01.3).
[6] World health organization (WHO). United Nations Children Fund Report- Focusing on anaemia: towards and integrated approach for effective anaemia control. WHO and UNICEF; 2004.
[7] Minaz Mawani, Savera Aziz Ali, Gulshan Bano and Sumera Aziz Ali. Iron Deficiency Anemia among Women of Reproductive Age, an Important Public Health Problem: Situation Analysis. Reproductive System & Sexual Disorders: Current Research. 2016; 5 (3). DOI: 10.4172/2161-038X. 1000187.
[8] A Taha, S Azhar, T Lone, G Murtaza, SA Khan, and others. Iron Deficiency Anaemia In Reproductive Age Women Attending Obstetrics And Gynecology Outpatient Of University Health Centre In Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 2014; 11 (2).
[9] Ministry of Palestinian health. (MOPH). Women health: health status in Palestine. MOH; 2016.
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[17] United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA). What We Do: Health. Available from: https://www.unrwa.org/what-we-do/health (cited 24 June 2019).
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[19] A. Daher, Rafael T., Mikolajczyk, Annette E., and others. Attitudes toward wife beating among Palestinian women of reproductive age from three cities in West Bank. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 2010; 25 (3): 518-537.
[20] Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations. Palestine nutrition profile-food and nutrition division. FAO; 2005: 13-14.
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[22] United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA). Epidemiological bulletin for Gaza strip. Palestine. 2010; 2 (4): 4.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Marwan Mosleh, Koustuv Dalal. (2019). Anaemia Among Refugees Pregnant Women in Gaza Strip: Perceptions, Awareness and Opinions and Attitudes. Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 7(4), 109-115. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jgo.20190704.13

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    ACS Style

    Marwan Mosleh; Koustuv Dalal. Anaemia Among Refugees Pregnant Women in Gaza Strip: Perceptions, Awareness and Opinions and Attitudes. J. Gynecol. Obstet. 2019, 7(4), 109-115. doi: 10.11648/j.jgo.20190704.13

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    AMA Style

    Marwan Mosleh, Koustuv Dalal. Anaemia Among Refugees Pregnant Women in Gaza Strip: Perceptions, Awareness and Opinions and Attitudes. J Gynecol Obstet. 2019;7(4):109-115. doi: 10.11648/j.jgo.20190704.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jgo.20190704.13,
      author = {Marwan Mosleh and Koustuv Dalal},
      title = {Anaemia Among Refugees Pregnant Women in Gaza Strip: Perceptions, Awareness and Opinions and Attitudes},
      journal = {Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics},
      volume = {7},
      number = {4},
      pages = {109-115},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jgo.20190704.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jgo.20190704.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jgo.20190704.13},
      abstract = {Anaemia in pregnancy is the most common public health concern in both developed and developing worlds like Palestine. Little is known about this significant health issue. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the perception, opinions and attitudes of anaemia among refugees pregnant women in Gaza strip. A cross-sectional study was employed among a random sample of 164 women or subjects, with a response rate of 81%. The survey was conducted at UNRWA antenatal health centers at refugee camps in Gaza strip. The study was approved by United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) health department. The study elucidated that a higher rate of women were knowledgeable and had ideas on anaemia, however, some women had inadequate knowledge on anaemia during pregnancy. There were a concern and misconception regarding some issues on anaemia such as; lack of knowledge on the effect of drinking tea on iron absorption; and on the side effects of iron pills during pregnancy. Highly positive opinions and attitudes toward anaemia were observed in most women. The study found that a high proportion of women were dissatisfied with the volume of health education sessions on anaemia at UNRWA antenatal health centers and many women had not attended or joined such sessions. In general, the study declined to find a significant differences regarding anaemia between women with and those without health education sessions on anaemia. Finally, the study suggests that, an effective and a clear health education strategy is needed in order to improve women perceptions, awareness, opinions and attitudes regarding anaemia in Palestine. Further researches are important and needed in this scope.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Anaemia Among Refugees Pregnant Women in Gaza Strip: Perceptions, Awareness and Opinions and Attitudes
    AU  - Marwan Mosleh
    AU  - Koustuv Dalal
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    EP  - 115
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jgo.20190704.13
    AB  - Anaemia in pregnancy is the most common public health concern in both developed and developing worlds like Palestine. Little is known about this significant health issue. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the perception, opinions and attitudes of anaemia among refugees pregnant women in Gaza strip. A cross-sectional study was employed among a random sample of 164 women or subjects, with a response rate of 81%. The survey was conducted at UNRWA antenatal health centers at refugee camps in Gaza strip. The study was approved by United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) health department. The study elucidated that a higher rate of women were knowledgeable and had ideas on anaemia, however, some women had inadequate knowledge on anaemia during pregnancy. There were a concern and misconception regarding some issues on anaemia such as; lack of knowledge on the effect of drinking tea on iron absorption; and on the side effects of iron pills during pregnancy. Highly positive opinions and attitudes toward anaemia were observed in most women. The study found that a high proportion of women were dissatisfied with the volume of health education sessions on anaemia at UNRWA antenatal health centers and many women had not attended or joined such sessions. In general, the study declined to find a significant differences regarding anaemia between women with and those without health education sessions on anaemia. Finally, the study suggests that, an effective and a clear health education strategy is needed in order to improve women perceptions, awareness, opinions and attitudes regarding anaemia in Palestine. Further researches are important and needed in this scope.
    VL  - 7
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Ministry of Health, Gaza Strip, Palestine

  • School of Health and Education, University of Skovde, Skovde, Sweden

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