Quality of life of Iranian beta-thalassaemia major patients living on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea

ABSTRACT

In the present study, the aim was to explore the quality of life of thalassaemia major [TM] patients according to age, sex, school performance, severity and complications of the disease. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Quality of life was evaluated by 4 questionnaires; demographic characteristics, the short form 36 health survey [SF-36], Persian version of symptoms checklist-90-revised [SCL-90-R] and life satisfaction index [LSI]. 687 [41.08%] of the eligible patients with TM completed the questionnaires. With the SF-36 questionnaire, 329 [47.9%] participants had an excellent level of physical functioning. With the SCL-90-R questionnaire, 446 [64.9%] participants had a global severity index of > 0.7, considered psychiatric patients, 141 [20.5%] patients had GSI between 0.4 and 0.7, considered suspected psychiatric patients and 100 [14.6%] participants had GSI of < 0.4, considered non-psychiatric patients. The mean score of LSI questionnaire was 20.50 [SD 5.95], range 2-37. Beta-TM patients are at risk of psychiatric symptoms and need appropriate psychiatric counseling