Awareness of the Thalassemic Patients’ Parents toward Thalassemia in Kirkuk City
Abstract
Background and objectives:- Thalassemia is a blood disorder passed down through families (inherited) inwhich the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells, which leads to anemia. Hemoglobin is madeof two proteins: Alpha globin and beta globin. Thalassemia occurs when there is a defect in a gene that helpscontrol production of one of these proteins. There are two main types of thalassemia Alpha thalassemiaoccurs when a gene or genes related to the alpha globin protein are missing or changed (mutated) ,its occurmost commonly in persons from southeast Asia, the Middle East, China, and in those of African descent..Beta thalassemia occurs when similar gene defects affect production of the beta globin protein and its occurin persons of Mediterranean origin, and to a lesser extent, Chinese, other Asians, and African Americans.There are many forms of thalassemia. Each type has many different subtypes. Both alpha and betathalassemia include the following two forms the first is Thalassemia major(Cooley's anemia ) while thesecond is Thalassemia minor patients must inherit the defective gene from both parents to developthalassemia major while Thalassemia minor occurs if the patients receive the defective gene from only oneparent. Persons with this form of the disorder are carriers of the disease and usually do not have symptoms(DeBaun, MR et al. 2011 ). This study aims to assess the thalassemic childrens parents awareness towardthalassemia.Materials and method: a Descriptive study have been carried out in Kirkuk Governorate / Al-Azaditeaching hospital ,which the nursing and medical care are provide to thalassemic children fromSeptember / 2012 to august 2013 .Results: The results of the study showed that Most of the sample is female in age (30 and more) years old.Most of the samples (56%) level of education is read and write while only 6% have bachelor degree .Theresult indicated that most of the sample (60%) have three or more children in their family in addition mostof them(72%) have only one child incidence by thalassemia, while only (2%) of them have three child withincidence of thalassemia. the study indicated that the parents have high rates (66%),(64%)(90%),(72%) ofacceptable level in knowledge related to definition, singes and symptoms, the transmission method andclassification of thalassemia to alpha and beta. The finding also showed that the parents have high rate ofunacceptable level in knowledge regarding the genetic factor that causes the disease (62%),carriers inthalassemia (78%),the genetic role in disease transmission (78%),the causes of each of and types ofthalassemia(60%), Pathophysiology (94%), diagnosis methods (74%) and treatment of minorthalassemia(70%) .Recommendations: Based on the result of, the investigator recommends Educational program for theparents and families of the children who experienced blood disease including thalassemia. Establishing aspecial consulting unites for the families of blood disease childrens to answer their questions. Encourage theparents of these children to work as a volunteer in the consulting unites to help the new diagnosed cases ofthalassemia and their parent to be oriented with their new situations. Provide a Socioeconomic supports tothalassemic patients and to their families.Keywords: awareness, thalassemia, patients' parents, Kirkuk city
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