Health Promotion International, Vol. 16, No. 4, 321-331,
December 2001
© Oxford University Press 2001
School and anaemia prevention: current reality and opportunities—a Tanzanian case study
1 South Australian Centre for Rural and Remote Health (SACRRH), University of South Australia, Whyalla Campus, SA 5608, Australia, 2 School Health Program, Ministry of Health, PO Box 9083, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 3 Tanzania Partnership for Child Development, Ocean Road Hospital, PO Box 9383, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 4 Deakin University, School of Health Sciences, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia and 5 Aboriginal Home Care Program, 2 Marion Road, Brooklyn Park 5031, South Australia
Address for correspondence: Lillian Mwanri South Australia Centre for Rural and Remote Health University of South Australia Whyalla Campus Nicolson Avenue Whyalla Norrie SA 5608 Australia E-mail: lillian.mwanri{at}unisa.edu.au
Iron deficiency anaemia is highly endemic in rural areas of Tanzania and in many developing countries. Its prevention among school children requires greater dissemination of knowledge of anaemia among children, teachers, parents and the general community. Associated improvements in the hygienic status of domestic and school environments are also often required. One-hundred-and-thirty-one anaemic children, 90 parents and 76 teachers were interviewed to ascertain their understanding of anaemia. Most children and parents had little knowledge of the symptoms, causes and prevention of anaemia. In addition to their iron-deficient diets, more than half of the children went to school without something to eat at breakfast and during school hours. However, parents and teachers were willing to work together to provide meals for the children. Poor sanitation in the children's homes and in schools was a little recognized factor which could pose a serious risk of anaemia. In addition, inadequate sanitation facilities and poor quality of physical environment prevailed both in the children's homes and in schools. The findings suggest the need for the establishment of a health-promoting schools network to provide a comprehensive framework for health promotion in schools as well as in homes in Tanzania and in other developing countries. Schools can be an ideal setting to positively influence a community's health status. Partnerships among teachers, parents and the wider community are required to identify, prioritize and ameliorate health problems.
Key words: health-promoting schools; iron deficiency anaemia; partnerships; Tanzania