Study of behavioral problems in multi-transfused thalassemic children

BACKGROUND: Beta-thalassemia major is a chronic disorder of blood, having an extensive impact on the affected child. It involves lifelong therapeutic regime, with repeated blood transfusions. With improved life expectancy, due to improved medical management psychosocial aspects of thalassemia are gaining importance. OBJECTIVE: To assess the behavioral problems in multi-transfused thalassemic children and psychosocial factors affecting them. SETTING: The study was conducted in a tertiary care level hospital and research institute catering mainly to a population of low socioeconomic status. DESIGN: The study was a cross-sectional study involving 50 multi-transfused thalassemic children of age 5–10 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty multi-transfused thalassemic children, aged 5–10 years, not suffering from any other major medical illness, were included. Child Behavior Check List (Achenbach) (CBCL) was used to collect data from each parent regarding the child's behavior. Parental Attitude Scale (Rangaswamy 1989) was applied. Descriptive statistical analysis was used with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student's t test to find the significance of data. RESULTS: The CBCL total scores were high in 32% patients, indicating the presence of behavioral problems. Higher CBCL scores were found in children of older age group, those with poor school performance, whose mothers’ education was more than eighth standard, had history of death of thalassemic relative in family, greater duration of diagnosed illness, poor pre-transfusion hemoglobin level, and who had longer periods of school absenteeism. CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral problems are common in multi-transfused thalassemic children. Early diagnosis and intervention of behavioral problems in these children would make them cope with thalassemia better.