Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of Community Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder which is one of the common genetic
disorders among children that is increasing worldwide.
AIM AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify clustering patterns among thalassemia‑affected
families based on their well‑being, transfusion interval, and risk factors using two‑step cluster
analysis (TCA).
METHODS: The study design is a descriptive, analytical cross‑sectional study. The study sample
consisted of 125 thalassemia children along with either one of the parents who referred to a
thalassemia treatment center of a pediatric hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The parents and
children were evaluated using the Ryff Psychological Well‑being Scale and Kidscreen Questionnaire
respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 software.
RESULTS: Out of 125 parents, 86 were father (68.8%) and 39 were mother (31.2%). The mean
age of parents was 38 years. Similarly, out of 125 thalassemia‑affected children, the mean age of
children was 13 years. Six clusters were deducted from the TCA. Parents’ well‑being variable does
not have discriminating power to form cluster division. Three cluster formations were meaningful.
CONCLUSION: TCA, in this study, helps in finding the clusters of families with thalassemia‑affected
children associated with poor well‑being and familial risks, which require attention for medical
counseling.
Keywords
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