A Study Regarding Awareness among the University Students about the Disease Beta Thalassemia

Abstract

Background: Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in which the body is unable to make adequate haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is present in the red cells. Normally red cells survive for 120 days but in Thalassemia red cell survival is reduced. Most children with thalassaemia are born in low-income countries. Worldwide, transfusion is available for a small fraction of those who need it, and most transfused patients will die from iron overload unless an available and potentially inexpensive oral iron chelator is licensed more widely. Methods: A Cross sectional study was conducted among the university students from January 2011 to May 2011. Simple random sampling was done. There are 66 departments in Panjab University, Chandigarh, 14 and 25 sector campuses. From each department of the University residential campuses 6 students were selected randomly. Hence making 400 students approximately from 66 departments. Results: Responses for knowledge about anemia, thalassemia, beta thalassemia among study subjects in preliminary questionnaire survey had shown that in the pre information questionnaire around 73.6% of the students enrolled in the study had no knowledge about anemia, thalassemia, beta thalassemia and its types and significance. Conclusion: It can be concluded that awareness among sciences students were more (28.6%) about the disease than the students of other faculties of study.