Suksiri PRASOMSUK and Arunee JETSRISUPARP
Abstract
Thalassemic patients have to receive continuous treatment and care by their physicians and families throughout their lives. As a result, this disorder has a continuous physical and psychological impacts on themselves and their families. However, there was only a limited research has been done regarding the life experiences of families with thalassemic children. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore life experiences with 15 families by semi-structured interviews and the data was analyzed by utilizing content analysis. Six categories were identified: lack of thalassemic knowledge, psychosocial problems, concerns for the future, social support, financial difficulty, and health care services. These findings presented the life experiences of Thai families with thalassemic children, and suggested that a holistic, culturally sensitive nursing approach should be considered when caring these families.
Key words: Life experiences, Thai family, thalassemia