Cultural representations about anaemia and supplement with iron

Abstract

In Argentina, one third of pregnant women and infants suffer from anemia. However, the adherence to the treatment is very low. This study, that is qualitative in nature, tries to show the social representations regarding notions of anemia and the acceptance and reject of iron supplementation among health teams, mothers and pregnant women. Semi-structured and open interviews were applied to professionals and non professionals that worked in health centers, as well as mothers of small children and pregnant users. The 8 health centres that were visited are placed in the City of Buenos Aires and Great Buenos Aires, the provinces of Jujuy and Misiones. Information gathering took place between June 2007 and March 2008; 49 members of health teams and 40 mothers were interviewed. Data analysis was made with the software NUD*IST. The opposing attitudes of the professionals were emphasized. There was a group that did not visualize the anemia problem and that did not consider iron supplementation as necessary, there was another group that, even when considering it as problematic, found that the intake of food was the solution. Finally, there was a third group that had absolutely incorporated fighting and preventing the anemia, for whom iron supplementation had an important place. To follow-up the regulation for iron supplementation depends on the beliefs and the private wishes of health teams members.