Publication interne
Estimation des effets causaux de l'infection paludique sur l'anémie chez les enfants de moins de cinq ans en Ouganda : résultats issus d'une enquête transversale sur les indicateurs du paludisme
Background and Aims: Malaria and anemia remain major public health challenges contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Although conventional regression analyses have reported a significant association between malaria infection and anemia, these approaches often inadequately account for socioeconomic and demographic confounders, thereby limiting causal interpretation. This study aimed to estimate the causal effect of malaria infection on anemia among children under five in Uganda using a robust quasi‐experimental approach.
Methods: We conducted a Propensity Score Matched (PSM) analysis using data from the 2018–2019 Uganda Malaria Indicator (Cross‐Sectional) Survey (UMIS). The study population comprised children under 5 years of age with complete data on malaria
status (exposure) and anemia status (outcome). A logistic regression model was used to estimate the propensity scores, incorporating a comprehensive set of child‐level, maternal, and contextual covariates. The Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATT) was estimated in Stata v14.0 using survey weights to account for the UMIS complex sampling design.
Result: The prevalence of malaria infection among children under five was 23.6% [95% CI: 19.8, 27.8], while the prevalence of anaemia (mild, moderate, or severe) was 51.2% [95% CI: 48.3, 54.1]. The effect of exposure to malaria infection on anaemia was
positive and significant [Average Treatment Effect of the Treated (ATT) = 25.6%, 95% CI: 17.6%, 33.5%, p < 0.001]. These results indicate that malaria infection increases the likelihood of anaemia by 25.5 percentage points among infected children under five in Uganda, after adjusting for key confounders.
Conclusion: Malaria infection is a major driver of anaemia among Ugandan children under five. Strengthening malaria prevention and prompt treatment could substantially reduce childhood anemia and its associated health burden.
Auteur : Mwebesa, Edson | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4421-5356
Coauteur : Agasa , Lameck Ondieki | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3740-8865
Co-auteure : Awor , Susan | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4106-3553
Coauteur : Kazonda , Herbert Tafadzwa | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1788-2285
Coauteur : Jimmy , Abraham Isiaka | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3885-1761
Co-auteur : Essetcheou , Scholastique M. Merveille | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7306-9962
Coauteur : Tum , Isaac Kipkosgei | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1552-2328
Coauteur : Kerich , Gregory Kibet
Co-auteur : Mwangi , Ann | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5279-8622
Co-auteur : Agbi, Delight Mawufemor | ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1876-8419
Institution : Université Moi | Centre : DAAD
Type : Article de journal | Anglais, évalué par un comité de lecture
Sujets : Santé et prévention des pandémies
Publié dans : Health Science Reports, ISSN 2398-8835, EISSN 2398-8835 | Volume 9, numéro 8
Éditeur du document : Hoboken, NJ : Wiley Periodicals LLC
Date : 5 août 2026 | Pages : 9
https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.73001
Droits d'auteur : © 2026 Les auteurs | Licence : Accès libre : Creative Commons (CC BY Attribution 4.0 International)
