The Role of Family Medicine and Nursing in Early Detection and Management of Anemia in Primary Health Care Centers: A Scoping Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.3910Keywords:
Anemia, Iron Deficiency, Primary Health Care, Family Medicine, Nursing Role, Early DiagnosisAbstract
Family medicine and nursing play pivotal roles in the early detection of anemia within primary health care centers by leveraging regular patient encounters and longitudinal relationships. Family physicians and nurses are often the first point of contact for patients, enabling routine screening for risk factors such as iron deficiency, chronic diseases, nutritional deficits, and menstrual or obstetric histories. Through standardized protocols, point-of-care testing, and targeted history-taking, they can identify symptoms (fatigue, pallor, shortness of breath) early and initiate timely investigations (complete blood count, ferritin, and iron studies). This early detection is further reinforced by health promotion activities, vaccination visits, and chronic disease clinics, where anemia screening becomes an integral component of comprehensive care. In the management of anemia, nurses and family physicians collaborate to triage, educate, and coordinate care across settings. Primary care teams optimize iron supplementation strategies, dietary counseling, and adherence support, while coordinating referrals to specialists when etiologies are complex or require advanced interventions. Nursing roles include monitoring treatment response, managing potential side effects, and addressing social determinants that influence nutrition and access to care. The scoping review would synthesize evidence on workflow models, screening tools, integrative care pathways, and outcomes such as time to diagnosis, treatment initiation, and correction of hematologic parameters, highlighting opportunities to strengthen primary care capacity for anemia prevention and management.
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