Effectiveness of diet therapy compared to medical pharmacological treatment for iron deficiency anemia in residents of the temporary shelter in the Jesús del Gran Poder neighborhood, aged 18 to 75 years, Santo Domingo

Introduction: food plays an essential role in the incorporation of iron, a mineral necessary for the growth and development of the body. Diet therapy is applied to people who suffer from a disease; in this case, iron deficiency anemia, consisting of a decrease in hemoglobin levels in the blood due to iron deprivation. Objective: to determine the effectiveness of diet therapy compared to pharmacological treatment to treat iron deficiency anemia in people from the Jesús del Gran Poder neighborhood, in the period February-May, Santo Domingo 2021 Methods: quasi-experimental longitudinal study, for data collection a sociodemographic data sheet was used and a blood count was performed to corroborate the diagnosis. The sample was divided into a control and experimental group, each group of 15 participants. The control group was given 50 g of oral iron, once a day, and the experimental group received diet therapy workshops for three months. Results: at the end of the treatment, the results of the intervention showed that 53% of the experimental group had moderate anemia and 47% had mild anemia, while 80% of the control group had anemia and 20% had mild anemia. After the intervention, 100% of both groups significantly overcame anemia, demonstrating the effectiveness of the experimental treatment. Conclusions: a decrease in iron deficiency anemia was obtained compared to the control sample; although the difference between the levels was not significant, there was an efficacy in the application of the natural treatment.