adolescents with Beta-Thalassemia

Objective: The study was conducted in order to determine factors affecting quality of life in children and adolescents with beta-thalassemia.& para;& para;Methods: The data of the this descriptive research were collected from thalassemia centers in Aegean region which provided their permission. Sample selection was not made and enrollment of all voluntary children and adolescents with thalassemia aged between 8 and 18 into the study was planned and the study was conducted with a total of 98 participants. Data were collected by face-to-face interview technique with the help of informative form for children and adolescents with thalassemia and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory TM 4.0. Independent t test was applied for determining the relation between variables.& para;& para;Results: Fifty percent of the participants were in 8-12 age group while the remaining 50% were in 13-18 age group. The study was conducted with equal number of male and female participants. No significant relation could be determined between quality of life score averages of the children and adolescents with beta-thalassemia and their age at diagnosis, frequency of transfusions, Hb and ferritin values, their possible endocrinologic, hearing, cardiac and mouth-teeth problems. A significant difference was determined between quality of life score averages of participants and their status of school absence and having education about sickness.& para;& para;Conclusion: Children and adolescents without school absence, who received education about sickness from a health personnel have a more improved quality of life