Prevalence of Depression Among Patients With Thalassemia in Southern of Iran

Background: Major thalassemia is known as the most prevalent genetic disorder in Iran. Patients with major thalassemia suffer mostly from psychological problems particularly depression, which can decrease their efficiency in life. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the prevalence of depression among these patients. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive, cross-sectional research was conducted during summer, 2014 in Abu Raihan Special Disease Center of Bandar Abbas. A sample of 275 patients was selected through the convenient sampling method. The inclusion criterion was afflicted with major thalassemia while the exclusion criterion was an unwillingness to participate or incomplete questionnaires. A demographic information inquiry was made of the subjects followed by Beck Depression Inventory. The elicited data entered SPSS ver.19 for the required statistical analyses. T-test, mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data, and the significance level was set at ˂0.05. Result: The results revealed that 41.5% of the sample suffered from a high depression rate. Significant correlations were found between depression and loss of close relatives, history of depression, family rows, and the history of psychological diseases in the family. Conclusion: Considering the prevalence of depression in Iran (41.5%), these patients need more support and attention especially to their psychological state.