Anaemia in Yirrkala
Watson, D.S.; Tozer, R.A.
Medical Journal of Australia 144(S2): S13-S15
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-729X PMID: 3724617 Document Number: 286083
Yirrkala is an Aboriginal community in north-east Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Residents aged five years and over participated in a survey to establish the prevalence and causes of anaemia. Eleven per cent were anaemic (haemoglobin level less than 110 g/L). Most of these were iron deficient, and this deficiency was attributed, at least in part, to hookworm infestation; 15% were folate deficient; none was vitamin B12 deficient. There was no haemoglobinopathy, thalassaemia trait or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency detected.