Prevalence of β-thalassaemia trait among school-going children in Jawadhi Hills: A School-based cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Nearly 8.9% of the total Indian population is constituted by tribal groups. The burden of haemoglobinopathies, especially β-thalassaemia, is more prominent among these populations than non-tribal populations. β-Thalassaemia major is a public health challenge that requires proven health strategies to minimise the effect of the same on the communities. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of β-thalassaemia trait among the school-going children from Jawadhi Hills of Tamil Nadu. This cross-sectional study was conducted among school-going children between 8^th to 12^th standards from four different higher secondary schools in Jawadhi Hills. We adopted a unique bag and ball technique for health education, and the participants who consented to the study were screened for β-thalassaemia trait using a complete blood count (CBC) profile and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A total of 1980 school-going children within the age group 13-19 years were screened for the β-thalassaemia trait, of which 12.3% were positive. The prevalence of anaemia among normal children was 29.5%, whereas the prevalence among β-thalassaemia traits was 56.5%. The prevalence of the β-thalassaemia trait is high among the tribal populations of Jawadhi Hills. Widespread use of proven strategies, including health education followed by screening, is necessary for behavioural changes, which are essential for reducing the burden in the long run.