title: Investigating the mental health and coping strategies of parents with major thalassemic children in Bandar Abbas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Major thalassemia is a hereditary, chronic blood disease caused by the synthesis deficiency of one or more polypeptide chains of globin during childhood. This leads to the rise of blood pressure and family tensions. Therefore, the coping strategies of the family could seriously affect and facilitate the thalassemic child's healthy growth. The present research sought to investigate the mental health and coping strategies of families with major thalassemic children in Bandar Abbas in 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is of a descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional type. Research population consisted of 140 parents of major thalassemic children who visited Shahid Mohammadi Hospital of Bandar Abbas. The instruments used were the 12-item General Health Questionnaire of Goldberg and Williams along with the coping strategies questionnaire. Nonprobabilistic, convenient sampling method was used. To analyze the data, Spearman's correlation coefficient, Chi-square and descriptive statistical tests were used. The significance level was set at P < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data analysis showed that parents' mental health (32 ± 4.25) along with their coping strategy scores (45 ± 7.50) was about the average. The most prevalent coping strategies among the parents were represented as: "I trust in God in order to get my problems solved" (87%), "to get mentally and spiritually relieved, I would visit mosques and holy shrines" (53%), and "to overcome problems, I make harder attempts" (50.7%). A significant correlation was found between the parents' coping strategies and general health (P < 0.001). A significant correlation was also observed between mother's educational level (P = 0.044), age (P = 0.022) and general health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the results of this research, it is categorical for the ministry of health and medical education and those in charge to pay special and adequate attention to the social, spiritual, and mental health of these children and their families.
authors.affiliation: Hormozgan Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Sakineh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dadipoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Counseling and Psychological, School of Technology, Hormozgan Science and, Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haghighi
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants for Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdoulhhossain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madani
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants for Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghanbarnejad
authors.affiliation: Mother and Child Welfare Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shojaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Psychology, Hormozgan Science and, Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Aliakbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hesam
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Safari
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Moradabadi
keywords: Children; mental health; parents’ coping strategies; thalassemia