MCH Student:

Abhismitha Ramesh

Date of Defense:

May 13, 2020

Abstract:

Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. The most common type of anemia is caused by a shortage of iron in the body(Anemia—Symptoms and Causes, 2020). According to the 2018 Minnesota Department of Health anemia prevalence report, rates in Minnesota during pregnancy and post-postpartum have been increasing since 2011 (Anemia in Women Annual Summary Reports, 2018). As part of an applied practice experience with the Minnesota Department of Health, an analysis of anemia prevalence in Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) women participants in 2018 was conducted. A map was created by zip-code to visualize varying levels of prevalence of anemia in Minnesota. In addition, education materials were developed in collaboration with the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). These materials include information about anemia risk, nutrition information, and recipes promoted by the WIC program.