Perceived Physical, Emotional and Monetary Burden among Caregivers of Thalassemia Patients: An Evidence-based Study from District Gujrat, Pakistan

Authors

  • Arooj Sikandar Associate Lecturer/Research Officer, Department of Sociology, University of Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Afzaal Afzal Community Development Officer, Housing Urban Development & Public Health Engineering Department, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Maryam Khalid Lecturer, Social Work, Higher Education Department, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Marwa Nayab BS Sociology, Department of Sociology, University of Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55737/qjss.377349408

Keywords:

Thalassemia, Genetic Blood Disorder, Caregivers, Physical Burden, Emotional Burden, Monitory Burden

Abstract

Thalassemia is among the most challenging hereditary blood disorders with no permanent cure.  The patients of thalassemia have to face multidimensional complications that may lead to physical, emotional, social, and monetary burdens, among others, that negatively affect the patients, their families, and especially the caregivers. The caregivers feel the burden owing to the long-standing character of the diseases and the struggling process for curing patients, and the caregivers have to face numerous burdens that lead them towards anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, aggression, poor relationships, lower productivity, and many others. The prime objective of this study is to understand the physical, emotional, and monetary burdens faced by caregivers, and primary data for this quantitative study were collected from caregivers of thalassemia patients of district Gujrat. Researchers applied the purposive sampling technique and a structured questionnaire to approach the study participants. The findings highlighted that the caregivers of thalassemia patients face a large number of physical (continued attachment, tiredness, isolation, lower productivity), emotional (aggression, depression, fear of losing a loved one life), and monetary (visiting health centers, arranging blood donors, travel and transportation, personal obligations) burdens that have significant impacts on their socio-economic, psychological and physical health.

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Author Biography

  • Afzaal Afzal, Community Development Officer, Housing Urban Development & Public Health Engineering Department, Punjab, Pakistan.

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Published

2024-06-30

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Sikandar, A., Afzal, A., Khalid, M., & Nayab, M. (2024). Perceived Physical, Emotional and Monetary Burden among Caregivers of Thalassemia Patients: An Evidence-based Study from District Gujrat, Pakistan. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences, 5(2), 131-141. https://doi.org/10.55737/qjss.377349408