The scenario of knowledge, attitude and practice of the Bangladeshi population towards thalassemia prevention: A nationwide study

Abstract

Thalassemia is one of the most common life-threatening yet preventable congenital hemoglobin disorders especially in South Asian regions like Bangladesh. It has become a rising public health concern for Bangladesh as 6–12% of the population are carriers and many of them are unaware of it. The purpose of the study is to inspect the knowledge and attitude towards thalassemia among the general people of Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in eight administrative regions of Bangladesh between January and October of 2020. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect information about thalassemia and socio-demographic characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with knowledge of thalassemia. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Of the 1,248 participants, only 47.4% had heard of thalassemia. Half of the participants who heard about the disease had no idea that thalassemia was not a transfusion transmitted disease. Only 49.8% of participant correctly identified consanguineous marriages as an important risk factor. Majority of them knew that marriage between two carriers can lead to a child with thalassemia major. About 72.5% knew that blood tests are a diagnosis method to determine thalassemia. Among the socio-demographic variables, the level of education of the respondents was identified as an independent predictor for knowledge (p<0.05) on thalassemia. For example, graduate (aOR: 24.88; 95% CI: 6.238–99.232) or post-graduate (aOR: 33.18; 95% CI: 7.864–140.001) participants were more aware of thalassemia than non-graduates. However, about 68.2% of the participants showed a positive attitude towards premarital screening of themselves or their family members and 85.3% were willing to donate blood to thalassemia patients. The study shows that there is a need to disseminate the information on thalassemia since the knowledge gap is huge among people. These findings will strengthen the implementation of thalassemia major awareness through educational programs, health counseling, premarital screening and campaigning.

Knowledge and Attitudes towards Thalassemia among Public University Students in Bangladesh

“…The findings of this study support the reports from other locations in Bangladesh. A nationwide survey of 1248 people revealed about half the participants was rightly informed about thalassemia and its risk factors, while 72.5% were aware of pre-marital blood test for Thalassemia screening, 68.2% were in favor of premarital screening and 85.3% were compassionate enough to donate blood for existing Thalassemic patients (N. E. Alam et al, 2022). The study by revealed the urban-rural divide and prejudice against Thalassemic patients among college students.…”

Thalassemia prevention: Religious and cultural barriers to premarital screening in Bangladesh

“…In a study done among college students in Bangladesh, 88% of them reported a positive perception of premarital screening 5 . In another study which was done in Bangladesh, 68.2% exposed a positive attitude towards premarital testing 13 . Therefore, more health education programs should be conducted in view of sociocultural factors among college students because of their positive attitude towards premarital screening.…”

Systematic review of hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy approach in thalassemia: Comparative analysis in animal models

“…While advancements in blood transfusion and iron chelation therapies have improved the quality of life for individuals with thalassemia, they are far from curative. 1,2 Various methods have been studied as potential alternatives for treating thalassemia, with gene therapy being one of them. Gene therapy has emerged as a promising solution for various diseases, including thalassemia, due to its capacity to address the genetic roots of the condition.…”

“…Thalassemia, a group of inherited blood disorders characterized by defective hemoglobin (Hb) production, remains a significant global health concern, particularly in regions with a high prevalence of consanguineous marriages. While advancements in blood transfusion and iron chelation therapies have improved the quality of life for individuals with thalassemia, they are far from curative 1,2 . Various methods have been studied as potential alternatives for treating thalassemia, with gene therapy being one of them.…”