Behavior Change Education for Anemia Prevention in Adolescent Girls

A PRISMA Systematic Review

Abstract

Anemia among adolescent girls remains a public health problem because it affects learning capacity, physical fitness, and reproductive health preparedness. This review synthesized the effectiveness of behavior change models for anemia prevention. A systematic literature review followed PRISMA 2020 and searched PubMed and ScienceDirect for articles published in 2021–2026 using the PICOS framework. Study quality was assessed using JBI tools, and findings were narratively synthesized. Of 625 records, six articles met the criteria: five quasi-experimental studies and one qualitative study involving 39–200 participants. The PRECEDE model, Theory of Planned Behavior, Transtheoretical Model, and education with behavioral support improved knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and preventive practices. Ferritin increased from 30.32 to 37.29, while hemoglobin increased from 11.6 to 13.4 g/dL. Barriers included limited curricula, healthcare support, food access, and peer influence. Multicomponent school-based interventions involving families and peers, supplementation monitoring, and biomarker evaluation appear most promising.