Result of video-education on "genetic transmission in thalassemia" to thalassemic patients and their parents.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the degree of knowledge improvement and retention after a single viewing of a video CD presentation on the genetic transmission of thalassemia among patients with thalassemia and their parents. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The present research was approved by Khon Kaen University Ethics Review Board A video CD on the genetic transmission of thalassemia was created as an educational tool for improving knowledge and retention. The validity and the informative usefulness of the video CD was evaluated, adapted and approved by a thalassemia expert. Between November 1, 2002 and September 30, 2005, 61 subjects (thalassemic patients and their parents, both groups were in reproductively active ages) at the Pediatric Outpatient Unit, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen, consented to participate. Their ages ranged between 17 and 50 years (mean +/-SD = 36.5 +/- 9.4; median = 38.0) and 44.3% completed elementary while 26.2% completed secondary school. Their occupations varied. Mothers, fathers, and thalassemic patients comprised 68.9%, 21.3%, and 9.8% of participants, respectively. In a quiet room in the Unit, each subject watched a single viewing of the video. A validated questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.79) with 40 true/false items was used to evaluate baseline knowledge on the genetic transmission of thalassemia. Knowledge was retested four times: immediately after the viewing, then at the 4th, 12th, and 24th week. The scores for each test were skewed toward high scores; therefore, non-parametric tests were used for the statistical evaluation. RESULTS: The running time for the video CD was 20 minutes. The baseline knowledge on genetic transmission was high. Immediately after a single viewing of the video, the knowledge level increased significantly (p = 0.000, 95% CI = 4.0-7.0) and was maintained up to the 12th week, after which (at the 24'h week) there was a significant drop (p = 0.020, 95% CI = -2.0 to 0) compared to the immediate post-test. CONCLUSION: The authors' video CD presentation effectively provided knowledge on the genetic transmission of thalassemia to patients with thalassemia and their parents. Post-viewing knowledge increased significantly and was retained for at least 12 weeks. Thereafter a refresher should be taken.

Trends in incidence of childhood leukemia, Khon Kaen, Thailand, 1985-2002.

BACKGROUND: The Khon Kaen Cancer Registry (KKCR), providing both hospital and population-based registration, was established in 1984 in the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University. Leukemia is the most common cancer among Thai children in Thailand, including both curable and preventable types, but no assessment of trends has hitherto been performed. OBJECTIVE: To perform a statistical assessment of the incidence trend of childhood leukemia in Khon Kaen, Thailand, between 1985 and 2002. METHODS: Population-based cases of childhood leukemia registered between 1985 and 2002 were retrieved from the KKCR and cases with an ICD-O diagnosis (coding C42) in children under 15 were selected. Incidence trends were calculated using the Generalized Linear Model method (GLM), which generates incidence-rate-based logarithms. RESULTS: Of the 277 cases of leukemia, boys were affected two times more frequently than girls and half of the cases were 0-4 years of age. Most diagnoses were histologically- or cytologically-proven and the most common type (affecting two-thirds, 65.7%) was acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The overall, age-standardized rate (ASR) for leukemia was 31.9 per million (95%CI: 28.1 to 35.7); 40.3 per million (95%CI: 34.2 to 46.4) in boys and 27.0 (95%CI: 21.8 to 32.2) in girls. Incidence has been increasing by 2.4% per year in boys (95% CI: -0.5 to 5.3) and 4.1% per year in girls (95% CI: 1.1 to 7.2). CONCLUSIONS: This incidence-rate-based logarithm indicates that childhood leukemia has been increasing, suggesting further epidemiological research on causes and possible prevention is needed.

Childhood cancer in Thailand: 1995-1997.

The incidences of childhood cancers in Thailand between 1995 and 1997 were determined from cancer registrations collected at five locations around the kingdom and compared with similar analyses performed at cancer registries in Asia, Europe and the USA. The incidence in Thailand was found to be lower than in some Asian and Western countries. Between 1988-1994 and 1995-1997, the incidence of childhood cancer rose 32.5%. As elsewhere in the world, leukemias, brain tumors and lymphomas comprised two-thirds of all childhood cancers. The age-peak for incidence was between 2 and 5 years, particularly for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Carcinomas were rare. Several features of the cancer pattern correspond to other Asian populations, in particular the low incidence of Hodgkin s disease, Wilms tumor and Ewing s sarcoma. Neuroblastoma was more common than in neighboring Southeast Asian countries.