ABSTRACT
The objectives of this study were to examine the level of awareness of the parents regarding Thalassemia Major; the cost of treatment of Thalassemia Major Patients and the sufferings it brings to the families; the social problems faced by patients' families; to identify the barriers patients' families face in the treatment of Thalassemia child. Descriptive study. Four Thalassemic Centers [i] Thalassemia / Hemophilia Centre, The Children's Hospital and the Institute of Child Health Multan [ii] Fatimid Foundation Multan [iii] Amna Blood Foundation [iv] Minhajul Quran Multan. January-2013 to June-2013. A sample of 500 respondents was drawn from the total population and structured interview schedule was administrated. Data were analyzed and interpreted by using SPSS [Statistical Package for Social Sciences] 19.0 version software. The structured interview was discussed with two experts of the Sociology Department and two Senior Doctors [>8 years' experiences] working in the Thalassemia centers and Government Health Institutions. It was revised to incorporate recommended improvements. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyze the data that includes: frequency, percent, mean, standard deviations. Data indicated that 100[20.0%] respondents were patients' father while 329[65.8%] were mothers and 71[14.2%] were close relatives. Of the 500 respondents, 306[61.2%] were married to their first cousins, 91[18.2%] of the respondents were married to their second cousins, 34[6.8%] of the respondents married in distance relatives and 69[13.8%] of the respondents married out of family. The study summarized that the health care providers should be encouraged to talk about Thalassemia as a public health problem in Pakistan and should enhance the public awareness to eliminate the Thalassemia in Pakistan