Quality of life in Children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia at Phrae Hospital
Abstract
Bankground: Thalassemia is most common an inherited blood disorder in Thaliand. Chronic anemia resulting in patients with various complications. Receiving regular blood transfusion is likely to decrease serious complications, prolong survival and improve quality of life.
Objective: To assess the quality of life in children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia between the age of 2-18 years who have regular transfusion every 2-6 weeks at pediatric department, Phrae Hospital.
Study design: A cross-sectional design study.Data were collected from 92 children using Pediatric Quality of Life InventoryTM (PedsQLTM) 4.0 Generic Core Scales (Thai version) to determine quality of life in physical, emotional, social and school functioning.
Result: Total score on average was good (86.94 + 9.41). The highest was social functioning (90.18), physical functioning (87.73) emotional functioning (85.30) and school functioning (84.08), respectively.
Conclusion: Caregiver and iron chelation therapy are associated factors of quality of life (p<0.05). However, the least scores were found in school functioning about missing school to go to the doctor or hospital. Enhancing abilities in blood bank service in nearby hospital to decrease the school absence days and hospital visit times may help to improve quality of life in these patients.
Keywords: Quality of life, Children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia
