OBJECTIVES : To assess the attitudes and practice of anemic subjects regarding anemia and dietary requirements in a tertiary care hospital of a developing country.

METHODS : The study was prospective, questionnaire-based observational analysis conducted for eight months (August 2016-March 2017) among the Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) patients admitted into the wards of General Medicine and fulfilled study criteria. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Guidelines was employed in interviewing the eligible patients. Data was analyzed separately for each question.

RESULTS : The study enrolled 149 (95 female, 54 male) patients above 18 years of age belonging to various socio-economic backgrounds with their consent. About 42% of the subjects considered IDA to be “not serious”. This was mainly attributed to mild or no symptoms in the initial stages and their perception that IDA is due to other concomitant diseases like renal failure, heart failure, hepatic failure etc. Around 90% knew that consumption of iron rich food like leafy vegetables, meat and egg is beneficial in IDA. However, 30% expressed their difficulty in consuming the same, stating the cost (83%) as the primary reason for their inability to access iron rich food and religious restriction in addition to personal dislike (17%). Around 40% of the subjects were found to have no practice of having iron-rich meal, and only a few used to consume citrus fruits, which aid iron absorption. About 38% of the patients regularly consumed tea/coffee, as they had poor knowledge of the fact that consumption of such beverages prevents iron absorption.

CONCLUSIONS : In spite of hospitalisation due to anemia, patients had unfavorable attitudes and their practice was not oriented towards improvising their condition. This demands counseling from clinical pharmacist in such patients regarding the complications of IDA, adherence towards therapy and appropriate diet to improve their quality of life.