Knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of the families of b-thalassaemia children in thalassaemia centers of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan
Shahzad, A.; Rafiq, N.; Ullah, I.; Asad, M.J.; Ahmad, M.S.; Waheed, U.
JPMA. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 67(9): 1434-1437
2017
ISSN/ISBN: 0030-9982 PMID: 28924289 Document Number: 694831
The present study was designed to assess the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) of the parents of b-thalassaemia children (410) selected from public (73.2%) and private (26.8%) thalassaemia centers of Rawalpindi-Islamabad. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to collect the data, which was analyzed by using SPSS. Majority of the respondents (70%) were rural young parents with no knowledge of thalassaemia before marriage. However, now 81.2% were aware about this. Majority of the respondents (89%) had the knowledge about premarital screening, 86.1% were opposed to intermarriages of carrier and 57% believed that if carrier got married then prenatal diagnosis or Chorionic villus sampling test is necessary. About 76.8% of the couples were screened and 42.2% had an experience of Chorionic villus sampling among which 20% abortions were reported. Overall 82% parents had received genetic counselling. The present study suggests that parent's regular visits and genetic counseling at thalassaemia centers have played important role about awareness.