Evaluation Of Diagnosis And Treatment Approaches Related To Iron Deficiency Of Family Physicians

Abstract

Background Anaemia is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a hemoglobin value below 13 g/dL in men and 12 g/dL in women. It is a serious public health problem that can significantly affect the quality of life. Methods Our study, whose universe consists of family physicians who actively work in family health centers in Rize province, was conducted in 2021. After being informed about our study, 81 family physicians who agreed to participate voluntarily were included. Results Our research is a cross-sectional descriptive type of research. A 20-question survey prepared by scanning the literature was presented as a data collection tool. While 73 (90.1%) participants are general practitioners, 8 (8.9%) are family medicine specialists. The rate of physicians correctly knowing the ferritin value to diagnose iron deficiency anemia in a patient without acute infection was 70.4% (n: 57). After the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia, physicians recommended gastrointestinal system screening in 39.5% (n: 32) of all men and 87.7% (n: 71) of postmenopausal women. The rate of recommending treatment for 3-6 months after the hemoglobin level returned to normal was 93.8% (n: 76). Conclusion Based on the data we obtained, it was seen that family physicians’ knowledge level about iron deficiency anemia management was insufficient, and there were deficiencies in the diagnosis and treatment processes. For this reason, interactive, applied training programs should be organized.

Keywords

• İron
• FamilyPhysicians
• İronDeficiency

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