[Psychological aspects in young adults with beta-thalassemia major, control group]

ABSTRACT

Beta-thalassemia major [TM], a chronic, genetically determined hematological disorder, has received little investigation on the psychological aspects of the disease and the psychosocial adjustment of patients with this anemia. In the present study, the aim was to explore the nature of psychopathology according to age, sex, school performance, severity and complications of the disease in TM patients compared with demographically matched healthy persons. A controlled anterograde cohort study was conducted at the Thalassemia Unit of Boo-Ali Hospital from June 2003 to November 2005 in Sari, Iran. Psychological aspects were evaluated by the Persian version of symptoms checklist-90-revised questionnaire. Information on relevant demographic characteristics, school performance, severity and complications of the disease was collected by one of the investigators who had created the questionnaire. 125 persons with TM completed the questionnaires and were compared with 125 controls and 250 totally. The mean age of the participants was 18.51 +/- 2.0 years and with a range of 15-25 years. 132 [52.8%] were female with equal family status, social and economic status. Patients group reported a significantly lower level of marital status [P<0.01], education level [P<0.0001], school performance [P<0.0001]. TM patients were found to have significantly more psychiatric disorders than the control subjects with GSI 1.16 +/- 0.47 vs. 1.01 +/- 0.6; [P<0.03], PSD 54.99 +/- 12.59 vs. 46.42 +/- 18.76 [P<0.0001], and PSDI 2.02 +/- 1.02 vs 2.45 +/- 2.22 [P<0.05]. We recorded significant changes in the mean scores of somatization [P<0.0001], interpersonal sensitivity [P<0.0001], depression [P<0.003], anxiety [P<0.05] and psychoticism [P<0.03] in the TM patients as compared to the control subjects. These findings show that beta-thalassemia major patients are at risk for psychiatric symptomatology and need appropriate psychiatric consultation