Abstract

Objective: To explore the relationship between psychopathological tendencies and Quality of Life (QoL) among patients with Thalassemia major.
Methodology: In this correlational study, data were collected from the blood transfusion dependent patients of beta-thalassemia major in Rawalpindi and Islamabad hospitals from September to December 2014. Urdu version of Worlds Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) methods were administered on 74 patients of thalassemia major. Pearson Product Correlation, Independent Sample t-test, One-way ANOVA and Post Hoc analysis were used.
Results: There was higher levels of somatization, hostility and obsessive compulsive (OC) and lower levels of psychoticism. There was negatively affected social and psychological domains of life while comparatively better QoL related to environmental conditions of the patients. There was negative relationship between psychopathological tendencies and QoL among patients. Moreover, mother’s education level negatively related with psychopathological tendencies among patients. Males scored high on depression and interpersonal sensitivity, whereas females scored high on anxiety, paranoid ideation and somatization. Female patients experienced better QoL as compared to male counterparts.
Conclusion: There were higher degrees of psychopathological tendencies among patients with thalassemia major which affected their QoL mainly on social and psychological domains.

Key words: Quality of Life, Worlds health Organization Quality of Life Scale-BREF, Brief Symptom Inventory, Obsessive Compulsive.