1Deputy Director, Deepak Foundation, Programme Manager-Preventive Health, Deepak Foundation
2Director, Deepak Foundation, Programme Manager-Preventive Health, Deepak Foundation
3Senior Programme Manager-Preventive Health, Deepak Foundation
Background: Anaemia among adolescents remains a persistent public health challenge in India, with disproportionate burden among girls. While national programs such as Anemia Mukt Bharat emphasize supplementation and screening, limited evidence exists on treatment completion and cure outcomes in real-world programmatic settings.
Objective: To evaluate longitudinal trends in anaemia cure rates and identify demographic predictors of recovery among school-going adolescents.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using programmatic data from Project implemented by Deepak Foundation in Savli block, Vadodara district. Adolescents aged 10–19 years with a valid final haemoglobin (Hb) measurement were included. Cure was defined as Hb ≥12 g/dL. Outcomes were analyzed by financial year cohorts, gender, and age group. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of cure.
Results: Among 3,285 adolescents, cure rates improved from 71.3% (Year 1) to 78.2% (Year 3). Females had significantly lower odds of cure (AOR 0.74; 95% CI: 0.63–0.86; p<0.001). Adolescents aged 10–14 years had lower odds of recovery compared to 15–19 years (AOR 0.69; 95% CI: 0.58–0.81; p<0.001).
Conclusion: School-based anaemia interventions demonstrate strong potential for improving outcomes at scale. Targeted strategies addressing younger adolescents and gender disparities are essential.
Keywords: N/A
How to cite this article: Akash Kumar Lal D, Pawar J, Soni S. Improving Anaemia Cure Outcomes Among School-Going Adolescents: A Longitudinal Cohort Study from a School-Based Intervention in Gujarat, India (2023–2026). Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(7s): 50. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.7s.8
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: Nil