Objectives
The study purported to compare the changes in knowledge, attitude and practices from the baseline study before the intervention and also to see the changes in anemia levels in both intervention and control blocks by testing the hemoglobin and comparing with the baseline study results.
Methods
Cluster sampling technique was used to select the sample villages among the intervention villages and respondents were sampled among general population, pregnant women and lactating women, adolescents and chakki owners. A total sample of 1062 respondents comprising of 455 pregnant and lactating women, 312 general population and 79 chakki owners were interviewed in intervention blocks.
Results
The study shows that more than seventy percent of the respondents were aware of fortified Aata. Out of those who shared positive response towards fortified aata about two third (66 percent) opined that it has helped in reducing anemia and fatigue and physical weakness. Almost in all households (89.2 percent) the fortified aata is consumed by all family members. The anemia levels showed about 25 percentage point improvement in women from baseline to endline when normal hemoglobin and moderate anemia ranges were combined to form one bracket. A general decrease in prevalence of anemia is palpable in the region in end-time-line compared to base-time-line.
Conclusions
The results indicated success of micronutrient interventions on indicators and functional outcomes in the select villages.
