(P19-024-23) A Capillary Blood Sample Overestimated Anemia Prevalence Among Women of Reproductive Age in the Somali Regional State, Ethiopia

Objectives: To determine variations in hemoglobin concentrations and anemia prevalence as measured in capillary and venous blood samples.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kebribeyah woreda (district) in the Somali regional state of Ethiopia, an area known to have high rates of anemia. Study participants were women of reproductive age (18-49 years old) who reported not to be pregnant. All eligible women from randomly selected kebeles (villages) and enumeration areas were invited to participate in the study. Trained laboratory professionals collected blood samples. Capillary blood was collected by finger prick and a venous blood sample was collected from the same participant. Anemia was assessed in all participants using two techniques: capillary blood (finger prick) and venous blood measured immediately in the field using HemoCue 301. Hemoglobin concentrations were adjusted for altitude based on household GPS readings. Data were analyzed using STATA 16.

Results: The mean hemoglobin concentration (n=850) was 11.2+ 2.2 and 11.0 + 2.3 for venous blood and capillary blood, respectively. Among the participants, anemia prevalence determined by finger prick capillary blood (62.2%) was significantly higher than anemia prevalence determined by venous blood (56.5%) both using HemoCue 301. Compared to a venous blood sample measured with HemoCue 301, a capillary blood sample tested with HemoCue 301 showed the prevalence of anemia to be higher by 5.7 percentage points.

Conclusions: Using a HemoCue 301 in the field, anemia prevalence based on capillary blood samples was significantly higher than anemia prevalence based on venous blood samples among women of reproductive age. Further research comparing venous and capillary blood on hemoglobin concentrations and anemia prevalence among children is recommended.

Funding Sources: This study is supported by the European Union through the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI).