Nutrition Intervention to Address Anemia Among Adolescent Girls in Liberia
Nutritional Anemia, Nutritional Deficiency, Iron Deficiency Anemia Treatment
About this trial
This is an interventional health services research trial for Nutritional Anemia
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adolescent girl aged 10 - 19 years at the time of enrollment
- Lives within the selected study communities in Montserrado or Margibi counties
- Caregiver/adolescent consents to participate in the study
Exclusion Criteria:
- Currently pregnant
- Active malaria infection as defined by positive rapid diagnostic test (RDT)
- Severe acute malnutrition at the time of enrollment
- Known malignancy
- Known sickle cell disease
Sites / Locations
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Nutrition+ Intervention
Control group - standard services only
This group will receive a structured nutrition education package provided by Community Health Assistants (CHAs) based on a handbook on nutrition education developed by UNICEF with collaboration from the Liberia Ministry of Health. The structured nutrition education package will focus on four key areas: causes and prevention of anemia, healthy eating and food choices, hand washing, and physical exercise. Participants in the intervention group will also receive IFA supplementation on a weekly basis for the duration of the study, and a one-time oral deworming treatment (mebendazole), which will be administered once at the beginning of the study.
This group will receive only the current package of basic nutrition services provided at the health facility and at community level by health workers and CHAs, respectively.