Anaemia Prevalence, Severity and Sex Disparities Among Healthcare‐Seeking Adults in Rural Chattogram Division, Bangladesh: Evidence From a Community‐Based Portable Health Clinic Programme

ABSTRACT Background and Aims Anaemia remains a major public health problem in South Asia, disproportionately affecting women. However, evidence on sex disparities in anaemia severity among rural adults in Bangladesh remains limited. This study examined the prevalence and severity of anaemia and sex differences among healthcare‐seeking adults in rural Chattogram, Bangladesh. Methods This cross‐sectional study used data from adults accessing healthcare services in four rural unions of Chattogram Division between November 2016 and November 2017. Of 2,118 adults, 459 participants (224 males and 235 females) with available haemoglobin measurements were included. Anaemia was classified according to World Health Organisation sex‐specific criteria. Multinomial logistic regression examined associations of sex and body mass index (BMI) category with anaemia severity, using normal haemoglobin as the reference category. Results Overall, 59.3% of participants had anaemia, with higher prevalence among females than males (77.9% vs. 39.7%). Mild, moderate, and severe anaemia affected 27.0%, 29.6%, and 2.6% of participants, respectively. Compared with males, females had higher relative risks of mild (RRR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.56–4.04), moderate (RRR = 11.53, 95% CI: 6.72–19.76), and severe anaemia (RRR = 28.56, 95% CI: 3.60–226.76; all p ≤ 0.002). Underweight status was associated with moderate anaemia compared with normal BMI (RRR = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.62–7.21; p = 0.001). Conclusions Anaemia was highly prevalent among healthcare‐seeking adults in rural Chattogram, with marked sex disparities in moderate and severe anaemia. These findings should be interpreted in the context of the non‐representative healthcare‐seeking sample and limited information on potential determinants. Population‐based studies are needed to investigate the factors underlying these disparities and inform appropriate anaemia prevention and screening strategies.