English abstract
This study aimed to detect the quality of life of Thalassemia patients seeking treatment at the day-care clinic based on transfusion. The quality of life indicators used in the study included physical, social, psychological environmental, and religious dimensions. The study also identified the essential needs of patients and concluded with a proposed role that will enhance the social worker's contribution in improving the quality of life of Thalassemia patients.
The study focused on answering the following questions:
1. What is the quality of life of Thalassemia patients in SQUH in term of physical, psychological, social, environmental and religious dimensions?
2. Are there any statistical differences which can be caused by influence of some independent variables such as: age, gender, social status, educational level, monthly income, and disease complications on the quality life of Thalassemia patients?
3. What are the necessary needs for Thalassemia patients according to the concept of quality of life?
4. What is the proposed role of the social worker in improving the quality of life of Thalassemia patients?
The study could be classified as descriptive and analytical. It relied on using the comprehensive social survey method of 90 Thalassemia patients who are treated at the day-care clinic based on transfusion in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital and social worker Data collection tools were a questionnaire applied to patients and an open interview guide for social workers who are dealing with Thalassemia patients.
The study reached several results, the most important of which are:
1. The results has confirmed that the quality of life of thalassemia patients is very good and patients enjoy their lives despite suffering from the disease, with a relative strength of 79%
2. The religious dimension came in the first ranking of highest quality of life of patients, followed by the social dimension while the physical dimension comes at the last level
3. The results show that there are significant statistical differences between the levels of quality of life for different patients due to the influences of some independent variables such as monthly income, disease intensity, employment status, educational level and gender
4. Environmental needs of Thalassemia patients were the most important needs compared to other needs.
Finally, the findings provided the base for a suggested role for the social worker to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life for Thalassemia patients.
