Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional study

Background: Anaemia has been a significant public health challenge for the South Asian community, in particular women and migrant populations. Despite abundant research in developed Western settings, evidence in urbanized Asian settings is extremely scarce for comparisons. This study aims to assess...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gary Ka-Ki Chung, Bulbul Sharma, Danna Camille Vargas, Woohyung Lee, Kai Sing Sun, Heidi Hung, Hasiba Munir, Soniya Pun, Mariem Sharif, Lee Sha Tong, Tsz Lui Tang, Man Hin Chio, Chi Yui Wong, Eliza Lai-Yi Wong, Dong Dong, Eng-Kiong Yeoh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Migration and Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266662352500011X
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849330913253523456
author Gary Ka-Ki Chung
Bulbul Sharma
Danna Camille Vargas
Woohyung Lee
Kai Sing Sun
Heidi Hung
Hasiba Munir
Soniya Pun
Mariem Sharif
Lee Sha Tong
Tsz Lui Tang
Man Hin Chio
Chi Yui Wong
Eliza Lai-Yi Wong
Dong Dong
Eng-Kiong Yeoh
author_facet Gary Ka-Ki Chung
Bulbul Sharma
Danna Camille Vargas
Woohyung Lee
Kai Sing Sun
Heidi Hung
Hasiba Munir
Soniya Pun
Mariem Sharif
Lee Sha Tong
Tsz Lui Tang
Man Hin Chio
Chi Yui Wong
Eliza Lai-Yi Wong
Dong Dong
Eng-Kiong Yeoh
author_sort Gary Ka-Ki Chung
collection DOAJ
description Background: Anaemia has been a significant public health challenge for the South Asian community, in particular women and migrant populations. Despite abundant research in developed Western settings, evidence in urbanized Asian settings is extremely scarce for comparisons. This study aims to assess the prevalence and social determinants of anaemia in South Asian women residing in Hong Kong, an advanced economy in Asia. Methods: Between June 2022 and December 2023, 675 non-pregnant South Asian adult women were recruited through territory-wide outreach health assessments for anthropometric and biomedical measurements, in addition to a survey on self-reported sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health factors. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was employed to identify the predictors of anaemia severity. Results: The observed prevalence of mild and moderate/severe anaemia (haemoglobin level <12 g/dL) were 26.8 % and 31.4 %, respectively. Findings supported the independent protective role of better diet quality against anaemia severity (aOR=0.40 [95 % CI = 0.22, 0.73] for high diet quality compared to poor diet quality), and that women of reproductive age (aOR=2.36 [1.03, 5.44] for the 35–44 age group compared to the youngest group), having a larger household size (aOR=1.11 [1.01,1.21] per person increase), and staying for a longer period in Hong Kong (aOR=1.83 [1.07, 3.13] for > 7 years compared to < 3 years) were associated with more severe anaemia. Conclusion: The high prevalence of anaemia in our sampled South Asian women in Hong Kong, especially those of reproductive age, was partly attributable to nutrition, acculturation, and cultural preference on larger family size, beyond potential genetic predisposition.
format Article
id doaj-art-e6bf71d117234d6e82ad657a487d5204
institution Kabale University
issn 2666-6235
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Journal of Migration and Health
spelling doaj-art-e6bf71d117234d6e82ad657a487d52042025-08-20T03:46:46ZengElsevierJournal of Migration and Health2666-62352025-01-011110031210.1016/j.jmh.2025.100312Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional studyGary Ka-Ki Chung0Bulbul Sharma1Danna Camille Vargas2Woohyung Lee3Kai Sing Sun4Heidi Hung5Hasiba Munir6Soniya Pun7Mariem Sharif8Lee Sha Tong9Tsz Lui Tang10Man Hin Chio11Chi Yui Wong12Eliza Lai-Yi Wong13Dong Dong14Eng-Kiong Yeoh15JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; CUHK Institute of Health Equity, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Corresponding author at: Room 419, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; CUHK Institute of Health Equity, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaBackground: Anaemia has been a significant public health challenge for the South Asian community, in particular women and migrant populations. Despite abundant research in developed Western settings, evidence in urbanized Asian settings is extremely scarce for comparisons. This study aims to assess the prevalence and social determinants of anaemia in South Asian women residing in Hong Kong, an advanced economy in Asia. Methods: Between June 2022 and December 2023, 675 non-pregnant South Asian adult women were recruited through territory-wide outreach health assessments for anthropometric and biomedical measurements, in addition to a survey on self-reported sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health factors. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was employed to identify the predictors of anaemia severity. Results: The observed prevalence of mild and moderate/severe anaemia (haemoglobin level <12 g/dL) were 26.8 % and 31.4 %, respectively. Findings supported the independent protective role of better diet quality against anaemia severity (aOR=0.40 [95 % CI = 0.22, 0.73] for high diet quality compared to poor diet quality), and that women of reproductive age (aOR=2.36 [1.03, 5.44] for the 35–44 age group compared to the youngest group), having a larger household size (aOR=1.11 [1.01,1.21] per person increase), and staying for a longer period in Hong Kong (aOR=1.83 [1.07, 3.13] for > 7 years compared to < 3 years) were associated with more severe anaemia. Conclusion: The high prevalence of anaemia in our sampled South Asian women in Hong Kong, especially those of reproductive age, was partly attributable to nutrition, acculturation, and cultural preference on larger family size, beyond potential genetic predisposition.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266662352500011XAnaemiaEthnic minoritySouth AsianWomenReproductive ageNutrition
spellingShingle Gary Ka-Ki Chung
Bulbul Sharma
Danna Camille Vargas
Woohyung Lee
Kai Sing Sun
Heidi Hung
Hasiba Munir
Soniya Pun
Mariem Sharif
Lee Sha Tong
Tsz Lui Tang
Man Hin Chio
Chi Yui Wong
Eliza Lai-Yi Wong
Dong Dong
Eng-Kiong Yeoh
Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional study
Journal of Migration and Health
Anaemia
Ethnic minority
South Asian
Women
Reproductive age
Nutrition
title Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional study
title_full Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional study
title_short Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional study
title_sort prevalence and determinants of anaemia in south asian diaspora women residing in hong kong an exploratory cross sectional study
topic Anaemia
Ethnic minority
South Asian
Women
Reproductive age
Nutrition
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266662352500011X
work_keys_str_mv AT garykakichung prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT bulbulsharma prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT dannacamillevargas prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT woohyunglee prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT kaisingsun prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT heidihung prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT hasibamunir prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT soniyapun prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT mariemsharif prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT leeshatong prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT tszluitang prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT manhinchio prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT chiyuiwong prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT elizalaiyiwong prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT dongdong prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy
AT engkiongyeoh prevalenceanddeterminantsofanaemiainsouthasiandiasporawomenresidinginhongkonganexploratorycrosssectionalstudy