New University of Limerick research sheds light on anaemia rates

A NEW study by researchers at University of Limerick has found high rates of anaemia among patients in the health system, while screening for common causes is low.

Anaemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin to carry oxygen to the cells around the body.

The research study carried out by a team at University of Limerick School of Medicine found that substantial numbers of men and women in the health system had anaemia, the presence of which is strongly associated with high rates of hospitalisation, death, and poor quality of life.

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Anaemia is a common but treatable condition that predicts adverse clinical outcomes. It affects nearly two billion people across the globe and is the third-leading cause of years with lived disability in the world.

While the study revealed a high burden of patients with the condition, it found that there were relatively low rates of screening for treatable causes of anaemia, including deficiencies in vitamin B12, folate, and iron, which highlights an important gap in care delivery programs and emphasises the need for quality improvement initiatives.

Prior to the large population-based study, the prevalence of anaemia and information on its underlying causes was largely unknown as data at the national or regional level was limited.