Anemia prevalence, severity, types, and correlates among adult women and men in a multiethnic Iranian population: the Khuzestan Comprehensive Health Study (KCHS)

BACKGROUND: Despite all recent health-related improvements, anemia remains an extensive global public health issue affecting the lives of about one-fourth of the world population in a geographically heterogeneous pattern. We, therefore, aimed to illustrate the prevalence, severity, most common types, and major determinants of anemia among adults in Khuzestan, Iran, from 2016 to 2019. METHODS: In a large population-based cross-sectional study comprising of a diverse population, each participant underwent a questionnaire-based interview and laboratory testing for hematological analysis. A hemoglobin (HGB) concentration of < 12 g/dL in non-pregnant women and < 13 g/dL in men were defined anemic. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between anemia and its potential determinants. RESULTS: Data on 29,550 (96.87%) males and non-pregnant females between 20–65 years of age (mean age: 41.90 ± 11.88 years; female sex: 63.58%; Arab ethnicity: 48.65%), whose HGB level was available, were included in the study. The mean ± SD HGB concentration was 13.75 ± 1.65 g/dL. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence rate of anemia was 10.86% (95% CI: 10.51–11.23%). The most prevalent degree was mild anemia (7.71%, 95% CI: 7.40–8.03%) and only 0.17% were severely anemic. Of those considered anemic, the highest proportion was related to normochromic/microcytic (50.65%), followed by hypochromic/microcytic (30.29%). In the multiple logistic regression, the parameters of female gender (OR: 3.17, 95% CI: 2.68–3.76), age group of 35–49 years (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.52–1.82), being underweight (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.29–1.93), being unemployed or retired (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.33–1.81), and living in urban areas (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.09–1.29) were major determinants of anemia. Additionally, we observed a minor but significant positive association between anemia status and CKD, older ages, increased night sleep duration, being a housewife and married, as well as a negative association between anemia and factors including hookah smoking, presence of metabolic syndrome, and overweight and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the anemia prevalence in this study population was of mild public health significance. The major suspected causes might be iron deficiency and chronic disease anemias. Comparably higher rates of anemia were observed amongst women, individuals aged 35–49 years, underweights, unemployed or retired subjects, and urban residents. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-12512-6.