Prevalence of Anemia among Schizophrenic Patients in Palestine

Complete blood count (CBC) test is one of the recommended tools to demonstrate the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle and poor diet. The objective of this work was to employ the hemoglobin level as a tool to evaluate the quality of lifestyle and diet of schizophrenic patients in Palestine. Cross sectional study was conducted at governmental primary psychiatric health care centers in northern West-Bank of Palestine. Two hundred and fifty patients were selected by convenience sampling method. The components of CBC were evaluated using blood samples donated by schizophrenic patients. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to retrieve personal information of participants. Descriptive statistical methods and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Data have shown that 55.9% of female patients and 13.7% of the male patients suffered from anemia. Regression analysis showed that gender was a significant factor associated with the prevalence of anemia among schizophrenic patients. On the other hand, the majority of patients had normal white blood cells and normal platelets counts. The prevalence of anemia among schizophrenic patients is a firm finding particularly among female patients. The occurrence of anemia among schizophrenic patients could be due to their poor food choices and unhealthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle choices, including protein-rich diet, can help prevent common types of anemia. Therefore, mental healthcare providers are encouraged to include an appropriate nutritional intervention, social support, and regular blood checkup in order to provide a good care for schizophrenic patients.