title: Awareness among Parents of β-Thalassemia Major Patients Regarding Prenatal Diagnosis and Premarital Screening in Day Care Centre of Transfusion Medicine Department.
abstract: Thalassemia is one of the most common genetic diseases in the world. It is a major health problem, brings much morbidity, early mortality and a great deal of misery for a family both financially and emotionally. The patients suffering from beta thalassemia major do not survive for more than 5 years without blood transfusion. Blood transfusion is usually administered every two to five weeks to maintain the pre-transfusion hemoglobin level of 9-10 gm/dL. This study carried out in the department of Transfusion Medicine of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital from January 2014 to June 2014. A total of 200 parents were interviewed. There was a slight preponderance of females which accounted for 57.5% of the parents. Ninety seven (45.5%) had an income less than Rs. 5000 per month. Nearly 50% were illiterate with only 24.5% with a higher education. Consanguinity was positive in 72.5% of the parents with extended family history of thalassemia positive in 40.8%. Only 29.5% were immunized against Hepatitis B. Around 27.5% did not know whether they should be immunized. Fifty five percent of parents knew children should receive Dysferol. Twelve percent were aware of consanguinity to be a risk factor for thalassaemia with only 5% having undergone antenatal diagnosis. Parental knowledge about thalassemia and its preventive measures is inadequate; this requires intervention in the form of public health education programs concentrating on high risk/targeted population.
authors.affiliation: Professor Dr Shikha Rudra, Professor & Head, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College (MMC), Mymensingh, Bangladesh; E-mail: pdr.shikha @yahoo.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rudra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chakrabarty
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ripon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rudra
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Mirza
mesh_terms: D001459:Bangladesh; D003241:Consanguinity; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy