The effect of floods on anemia among reproductive age women in Afghanistan

<div><p>This study uses biomarker information from the 2013 National Nutrition Survey Afghanistan and satellite precipitation driven modeling results from the Global Flood Monitoring System to analyze how floods affect the probability of anemia in Afghan women of reproductive age (15–49). In addition to establishing a causal relation between the two by exploiting the quasi-random variation of floods in different districts and periods, the analysis demonstrates that floods have a significant positive effect on the probability of anemia through two possible transmission mechanisms. The first is a significant effect on inflammation, probably related to water borne diseases carried by unsafe drinking water, and the second is a significant negative effect on retinol concentrations. Because the effect of floods on anemia remains significant even after we control for anemia’s most common causes, we argue that the condition may also be affected by elevated levels of psychological stress.</p></div

Effect of floods on serum ferritin and serum retinol: OLS estimates.

<p>Effect of floods on serum ferritin and serum retinol: OLS estimates.</p

Daily average floods in millimetres (April-October 2013).

<p>Drawn by the authors using GFMS data. Resolution 0.125° longitude/latitude.</p

Effect of floods on anemia: OLS estimates.

<p>Effect of floods on anemia: OLS estimates.</p

Effect of floods on inflammation and availability of safe water: OLS estimates.

<p>Effect of floods on inflammation and availability of safe water: OLS estimates.</p

Measures of flood, conflict and urbanization: Correlation analysis.

<p>Measures of flood, conflict and urbanization: Correlation analysis.</p