4.0 Article

Alcohol intake, smoking, self-medication practices and burden of anaemia among traders in Tamale metropolis of Ghana

Journal

BMC RESEARCH NOTES
Volume 16, Issue 1, Pages -

Publisher

SPRINGERNATURE
DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06480-2

Keywords

Anaemia; Haemoglobin; Smoking; Alcohol; Traders; Market women; Self-medication

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Objective lifestyle choices, such as alcohol intake, smoking, and self-medication, among traders in the Tamale Central market in Ghana were evaluated, and their association with anaemia was examined. Results showed that while alcohol intake and smoking were uncommon, self-medication was prevalent among the participants. Anaemia was a common condition, particularly among females, and was associated with self-medication.
Objective Lifestyle choices including physical inactivity, smoking, abuse of alcohol and drugs, unhealthy diet are common among traders and market women and these behavioural activities predispose individuals to ill-health conditions including cardiovascular diseases and chronic anaemia. We evaluated lifestyle choices such as alcohol intake, smoking and resorting to self-medication among traders in the Tamale Central market in Ghana. We then associated these lifestyle choices with anaemia. Results A total of 400 participants were recruited for this study. Haemoglobin (Hb) levels of participants were measured using Mission((R)) Plus Hb meter and anaemia was diagnosed by Hb < 12 g/dl for non-pregnant females and Hb < 13 g/dl for males. Of the participants, a majority (69.3%) were males, and most of them (56.0%) were within 18-35 years age bracket. While alcohol intake and smoking were uncommon, self-medication was a common practice among the participants. Anaemia was a common condition; diagnosed in 44.5% of participants, but was independent of age, alcohol intake and smoking. However, anaemia was more common in females (chi(2) = 15.9, p < 0.001) and was associated with self-medication (chi(2) = 5.7, p = 0.017). We recommend that traders in the Tamale metropolis should seek routine health check-ups to help avert adverse health consequences associated with anaemia.

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