Barriers and facilitators for management of iron-deficiency anemia in reproductive-aged women: perspectives of health care professionals in Alberta, Canada
- 1Departments of Medicine (Abolghasemi Taree), Obstetrics and Gynecology (Rich), and Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine (Zhu, Wu, Sun), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Department of Medicine (Khalife), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.
Abstract
Background:: Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is common and often inadequately managed among reproductive-aged women in Canada, with equity-deserving groups disproportionately affected. We sought to explore the perspectives of health care professionals (HCPs) on the barriers and facilitators for IDA diagnosis and management among women of reproductive age in Alberta, Canada, with a focus on those pertaining to equity-deserving populations.
Methods:: We conducted a qualitative study using semistructured interviews in Alberta from March to June 2024. Eligible participants were English-speaking HCPs practising in Alberta who provided care for women with IDA, recruited by email from publicly available registries using purposive and snowball sampling across diverse specialties. Interviews explored practice patterns, barriers, facilitators, and potential interventions. After achieving sample sufficiency, we analyzed transcripts using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis.
Results:: We interviewed 13 HCPs (family physicians, other specialists, and a pharmacist). Four primary themes emerged, all intersecting with health inequity: gaps in physician knowledge, skills, and adherence to guidelines; systemic infrastructure and resource constraints; challenges in providing patient-centred care; and insufficient networking and integrated care system. We observed key subthemes, such as overlooking source control, inconsistent guideline use, and impacts of sexism and normalization of suffering. Biopsychosocial factors exacerbated access, trust, and adherence challenges for equity-deserving groups. We identified fewer facilitators to treatment than barriers.
Interpretation:: Clinician-perceived barriers to IDA management in Alberta manifest across patient, clinician, system, and societal levels, highlighting a need for multifaceted interventions, including harmonized guidelines, HCP education, improved health human resources, and leveraging of societal assets to address upstream barriers, such as poverty, to reduce health inequities.
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BibTeX
@article{taree2026barriers,
title = {{Barriers and facilitators for management of iron-deficiency anemia in reproductive-aged women: perspectives of health care professionals in Alberta, Canada}},
author = {Nazanin Abolghasemi Taree and Rebecca Rich and Nancy Zhu and Roy Khalife and Cynthia M. Wu and Hao Wei (Linda) Sun},
journal = {CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1503/cmaj.252102},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.252102},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Barriers and facilitators for management of iron-deficiency anemia in reproductive-aged women: perspectives of health care professionals in Alberta, Canada
AU - Nazanin Abolghasemi Taree
AU - Rebecca Rich
AU - Nancy Zhu
AU - Roy Khalife
AU - Cynthia M. Wu
AU - Hao Wei (Linda) Sun
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal
DO - 10.1503/cmaj.252102
UR - https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.252102
AB - Background:: Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is common and often inadequately managed among reproductive-aged women in Canada, with equity-deserving groups disproportionately affected. We sought to explore the perspectives of health care professionals (HCPs) on the barriers and facilitators for IDA diagnosis and management among women of reproductive age in Alberta, Canada, with a focus on those pertaining to equity-deserving populations. Methods:: We conducted a qualitative study using semistructured interviews in Alberta from March to June 2024. Eligible participants were English-speaking HCPs practising in Alberta who provided care for women with IDA, recruited by email from publicly available registries using purposive and snowball sampling across diverse specialties. Interviews explored practice patterns, barriers, facilitators, and potential interventions. After achieving sample sufficiency, we analyzed transcripts using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Results:: We interviewed 13 HCPs (family physicians, other specialists, and a pharmacist). Four primary themes emerged, all intersecting with health inequity: gaps in physician knowledge, skills, and adherence to guidelines; systemic infrastructure and resource constraints; challenges in providing patient-centred care; and insufficient networking and integrated care system. We observed key subthemes, such as overlooking source control, inconsistent guideline use, and impacts of sexism and normalization of suffering. Biopsychosocial factors exacerbated access, trust, and adherence challenges for equity-deserving groups. We identified fewer facilitators to treatment than barriers. Interpretation:: Clinician-perceived barriers to IDA management in Alberta manifest across patient, clinician, system, and societal levels, highlighting a need for multifaceted interventions, including harmonized guidelines, HCP education, improved health human resources, and leveraging of societal assets to address upstream barriers, such as poverty, to reduce health inequities.
SN - 0820-3946
SN - 1488-2329
ER -