(P24-025-23) Iron Deficiency Prevalence and Risk Factors Among Hispanic/Latina Women Living in the U.S. Findings From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Objectives: Iron deficiency (ID) is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies globally and the most common cause of anemia. Women of reproductive age (WRA) are especially affected. Persons of Hispanic/Latino background in the U.S. are at higher risk of ID and anemia than other racial/ethnic groups but estimates within this diverse population are lacking. We aimed to characterize ID and anemia and their risk factors/markers in Hispanic/Latina women.

Methods: HCHS/SOL enrolled 16,415 adults in 2008-2011 at four sites: Bronx, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego; 5,386 were non-pregnant women ages 18-49 years. The primary outcomes were ID (ferritin < 15 µg/L) and anemia (hemoglobin < 120 g/L). Predictors of interest were Hispanic/Latino background group, years living in the U.S., interview language, and SASH acculturation scale scores. Each predictor for ID and anemia was analyzed with survey logistic regression adjusted for age, field center and smoking status.

Results: 42% of women were of Mexican background, 15% of Cuban background, and < 15% were of Puerto Rican, Dominican, Central American, or South American background. Most (71%) were born outside of the U.S. Overall, ID prevalence was 12% (vs. 10.7% for WRA overall in NHANES) and differed by site: from 10.6% (Miami) to 16.5% (Chicago); and by background: from 9.7% (Cuban) to 16% (Mexican). Site-by-background differences were also observed. The lowest and highest prevalence were in those living in Chicago: 6.4% among women of Central American background, 17.4% in women of Mexican background. Prevalence of anemia was 17%, higher than recently reported in NHANES (7.1-10.7%), and differed by site and background: from 11.8% among women from Central America living in Miami to 22.5% in women from Puerto Rico in the Bronx. Years living in the U.S., interview language, and SASH scores were not associated with ID or anemia.

Conclusions: Prevalence of ID and anemia were high among women in HCHS/SOL and differed by site and background, but not by other risk factors. Anemia was more common than ID and was concentrated in different site/background groups, suggesting a need to examine non-ID causes of anemia in this population. Stark differences in prevalence of ID and anemia by location and background highlight the importance of characterizing nutritional risk by background within Hispanic/Latino women.

Funding Sources: NHLBI