Haemoglobin, Serum Ferritin and Serum-Mineral Levels of the Elderly People: A Comparison between Urban and Rural Community

Abstract

This is a cross sectional study conducted amongst 200 randomly selected urban and mral
elderly people of age -60 to 90 years. Primary data for the study was collected from the city of
Dhaka and villages of Sonargaon under Narayanganj district. The purpose of this study was to
investigate the nutritional status of the elderly people using biochemical parameters like
haemoglobin, senmi ferritin, and serum minerals. Mean (±SD) values of haemoglobin, serum
ferritin, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper for urban elderly people were found to be
10.7 (±1.2) g/dl, 124.1 (±88.5) /tg/1, 122.2 (±57.9) /ig/dl, 11.2 (±3.7) mg/dl, 1.8 (±0.6) mg/dl,
134.0 (±64.6) /xg/dl and 170.2 (±79.1) /tg/dl respectively, while the values for rural elderly
people were 11.5 (±1.8) g/dl, 69.9 (±57.3) /ig/1, 125.7 (±61.1) ixg/d\, 10.6 (±3.5) mg/dl, 1.9
(±0.4) mg/dl, 134.5 (±41.6) /ig/dl and 149.4 (±72.0) /ig/dl respectively. Amongst the urban
male, mean values of haemoglobin, serum ferritin, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper
were found to be 11.1 (±1.2) g/dl, 132.3 (±97.4) /xg/1, 139.0 (±58;8) fig/dl, 11.6 (±3.9) mg/dl,
1.9 (±0.5) mg/dl, 142.5 (±66.0) /ig/dl and 181.8 (±81.8) jxg/dl respectively, while for rural
male these were 12.9 (±1.4) g/dl, 72.7 (±67.8) /ig/1, 125.6 (±61.0) /ig/dl, 9.9 (±2.4) mg/dl, 1.9
(±0.3) mg/dl, 132,3 (±37.8) /tg/dl and 134.0 (±63.6) fig /dl respectively. Amongst the urban
female, mean values of haemoglobin, serum ferritin, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and
copper were found to be 10,2 (±0.8) g/dl, 115.9 (±80.0) /ig/1, 98,6 (±48.5) /ig/dl, 10.8 (±3.3)
mg/dl, 1.7 (±0.6) mg/dl, 123.1 (±62.4) /ig/dl and 155.2 (±74.2) /ig/dl respectively, while
values for rural female were found to be 10.4 (±1.1) g/dl, 67.2 (±47.0) /ig/1, 125.8 (±61.8)
/ig/dl, 11.2 (±4.1) mg/dl, 1.8 (±0.5) mg/dl, 136.2 (±44.9) /ig/dl and 161.8 (±76.5) /ig/dl. In
urban area, 89.8% male and 100.0% female elderly people were found to have low
haemoglobin (Hb) level while in mral area the percentage were respectively 45.5% and
94.6%. Anaemia was significantly higher (p<0,05) amongst the urban elderly male compared
to their rural counterpart. Mean Hb levels for elderly people (urban, rural and total) were
found to be below normal (M<13g/dl, F<12g/dl), Even then Hb level was found to be
relatively higher for rural elderly people. Serum ferritin level was found to be lower for raral
elderly people, though the level was above the iron deficient cut off point (<15/ig/l) for all the
elderly people. The serum calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc did not differ significantly
between urban and mral elderly, though semm copper level was found to be in a higher trend
for urban elderly people as compared to their mral counterpart.