Physical problems among leukemic adolescent patients undergoing chemotherapy in Erbil city

Leukemia is a significant public health and life-threatening problem for pediatric cancer patients. Adolescents leukemic may face long periods of treatment; may describe the irritability, fatigue, bone pain, mouth ulcer, alopecia, and loss of appetite. The aim of the study was to assess the common physical problems among leukemic adolescent patients undergoing chemotherapy, and identify the association between their socio-demographic characteristics with physical problem. A descriptive study was carried out in Nanakali Hospital for Blood Diseases / Erbil city from the period of /1[st] Nov. /2010 to/ 1[st] of Feb. /2011/. Eighty adolescent who are receiving chemotherapy in face to face interview, were selected regarding the study. The study shows that there were highly significant associations between socio-demographic characteristics with some of physical problems such as pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, and oral ulcer [mucositis]. The study shows that there were significant association between adolescent patient and some physical problems. The study recommends giving more support and attention by medical and nursing staff manage to reduce their physical problems

Effectiveness of an educational health programme on mothers' knowledge and practices of thalassaemic children receive desferal therapy in Hawler Thalassemia Center/ Erbil city

Thalassaemia is a heredity blood diseases characterised by decreased synthesis of one of the two types of polypeptide chains [beta or alpha] which form the normal adult human hemoglobin molecule [HbA, alpha2,beta2], resulting in decreased filling of the red cells with haemoglobin, and cause anaemia. The study aimed to improve mothers' knowledge and practices of Thalassaemic children who are using Desferal therapy. A quasi-experimental study was carried out at Hawler Thalassemia Center in Erbil City from the 1[st] of March to the end of May 2010. One hundred mothers were selected and divided into two groups, 50 mothers exposed to the educational programme [study group] and a second group of [50] mothers were served as control. Pre and post test of subject of interest were done during the two occasions. The results revealed that mothers' knowledge and practices in the study group were improved. There is no significant association between mothers' knowledge and practices with socio-demographic characteristics at pre-test which became significant at post-test. Yet, most of the mothers in the study group have gained benefit from implementation of this educational programme