Kualitas Hidup Anak dengan Thalasemia di Kabupaten Jember

Abstract

Thalassemia is a condition when the body does not produce enough globin chains. Diagnosis of thalassemia occurs from 6 months-1 year. Children with thalassemia need to get blood transfusions and take medication for life. Thalassemia is a complicated treatment and requires a strong commitment to carry out routine medical check-ups once a month for life. Records of limited health control visits related to physiological examinations do not yet describe the condition of the child in terms of quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life in children with thalassemia. This study uses a cross-sectional method. The sampling technique used was quota sampling with 18 respondents. Data collection was carried out using the Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales instrument with a Cronbach alpha of 0.88 for self-report. The results showed that the quality of life of children with thalassemia was 69.15. Based on these results, children with thalassemia in Jember district have a poor quality of life. The results of this study have consistent results from several similar studies that have been conducted. The existence of these findings indicates that health services for children with thalassemia need to be evaluated if want changes in the quality of life of children. As the domain of children's most affected schools, researchers suggest efforts among policymakers by changing the control schedule and adding shifts with consultations through the doctor consultant so that children can get treatment after school activities are over.