Determinants of Hemoglobin Levels Among Adolescent Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study in Indonesia

Abstract

Anemia remains a major public health problem among adolescent girls and may impair physical health, cognitive performance, and quality of life. Multiple behavioral and biological factors, including dietary habits, sleep quality, physical activity, stress, menstrual patterns, and knowledge about anemia, have been proposed as potential determinants. This study aimed to analyze the determinants associated with anemia among adolescent girls. A quantitative study with a cross-sectional design was conducted among 150 tenth-grade female students selected from a population of 216 students using the Slovin formula. Data were collected through hemoglobin measurements using a digital hemometer and validated questionnaires assessing dietary habits, sleep quality, physical activity, stress, menstrual patterns, and knowledge about anemia. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. Of the 150 participants, 31 (20.7%) were classified as anemic. No significant associations were found between anemia and dietary habits (p = 0.234), sleep quality (p = 0.354), physical activity (p = 0.346), stress (p = 0.653), menstrual patterns (p = 0.184), or knowledge about anemia (p = 0.904). In conclusion, none of the examined factors were significantly associated with anemia among adolescent girls. These findings suggest that anemia is likely influenced by other biological, nutritional, and socioeconomic factors that were not assessed in this study.