Health education program for mothers of children suffering from iron deficiency anemia in United Arab Emirates

The present study was designed to assess knowledge, beliefs and practices of mothers regarding factors leading to iron deficiency anemia among children. Develop health education (HE) program according to the needs of the target group. Determine the effect of the program in terms of changes in mothers' knowledge, practices and beliefs using Health Belief Model (HBM) and hemoglobin& hematocrite levels of the children of the target group. The study was carried out in the MCH in Sharjah in United Arab Emirates (UAE). The sample size was 200 anemic children aged 6-24 months and their mothers, 100 of them were randomly assigned to face to face intervention program (experimental group) (I). Another 100 were the control group (II). Only 16% of mothers of group I& 18% of mothers of group II got satisfactory level of knowledge. After the conduction of HE program, the mothers' knowledge was significantly increased among group I, while almost there was no change of the knowledge's level among group II. Only 26% of mothers in group I& 15% of group II had high perceived susceptibility to anemia. After the program, 61% of mothers in group I got high perceived susceptibility. Only 7% of mothers of group I& 27% of those of group II had high perceived severity. After the program, 48% of mothers of group I got high perceived severity. Only 12% of mothers of group I&15% of those of group II had high perceived benefits. After the program, 52% of mothers of group I had high perceived benefits. Only 8% of mothers of group I&14% of those of group II had low perceived barriers. After the program, 58% of mothers in group I got low perceived barriers. Only 28% of mothers of group I&21% of those of group II had good dietary practice. After the program, 74% of mothers group I showed good dietary practice. There were highly significant increases of the levels of hemoglobin& hematocrite of children of a group I before& after the program. While, the increases were not significant in group II