Relationship between dietary Iron intake and Hemoglobin level among migrated labor women working in construction areas.

Anemia is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency disorder globally, among which anemia caused by iron deficiency is the most common. WHO statistics show that 52% of women of reproductive age consume less iron, among which 35% are from India. Hence, there is an urgent need to determine the occurrence of anemia in women of childbearing age and its relationship with dietary iron intake. As the investigators attempted to correlate the occurrence of anemia with nutritional status among migrant women workers, a descriptive correlational design was adopted. One hundred migrated labor women aged 20-35 working in construction areas in Mangaluru were selected as the samples through the purposive sampling method. Baseline proforma and rating scales on consumption of iron-rich food were used to collect information about iron intake. A Digital Hemoglobinometer was used to estimate haemoglobin. The study found that 57% of the subjects had a poor iron intake. 89% of the subjects were found to be anemic. The relationship between iron intake and hemoglobin was assessed using Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient, which showed a positive correlation (r = 0.512). The findings revealed a significant association between monthly income and iron intake. Chi-square cal=13.893, P < 0.05(0.000193) at 5% significance level. The study results show a need for constant emphasis on nutritional education and the dietary benefits of iron-rich food items readily available in rural areas.