Anemia status and its determinants among reproductive-age women in Tanzania: A multi-level analysis of Tanzanian demographic and health survey data

Introduction: Anemia is significantly associated with morbidity and mortality in women of reproductive age. Determining the prevalence and identifying associated risk factors remains an important topic in public health. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate and identify the risk factors for anemia in women of reproductive age in Tanzania. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study utilizing secondary data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey of 2022 was conducted. Weighted total samples of 8,921 reproductive-age women were included in the analysis. A multilevel Poisson regression model was employed to account for the hierarchical structure of the TDHS data. Deviance was used to compare the models. In the multivariable multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression model with robust variance, adjusted prevalence ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were used to identify the determinants of anemia. Results: The prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age in Tanzania was 42.02% [95% CI: (40.79%–43.25%)]. Of these, 19.82%, 19.35%, and 2.84% had mild, moderate, and severe anemia, respectively. The regression results revealed that women from households with the poorest wealth quantiles, underweight, pregnant status, high community poverty level, and women from the eastern and Zanzibar administrative zones had a higher prevalence of anemia. While currently employed, moderate alcohol consumption and use of hormonal contraceptive methods were associated with a lower prevalence of anemia. Conclusion: The findings of the study showed that anemia is a severe public health issue among women of reproductive age in Tanzania, affecting more than four in ten women. Interventions targeting the improvement of nutrition, access to healthcare services, and education on anemia prevention and management should be prioritized to reduce the burden of anemia effectively.