AN INVESTIGATION OF DEPRESSION IN GREEK THALASSAEMIC TEENAGERS

John Koutelekos, Afroditi Zartaloudi, Constantine Vassalos, Evangelos Dousis, Maria Polikandrioti, Evdokia Vassalou, Nikolaos Chalasios

Friday, January 5, 2018

Publication year:

2018

Authors:

• Koutelekos John, PhD, Assisstant Professor, Department of Nursing A',Technological Educational Institute of Athens
• Zartaloudi Afroditi, Lecturer, Department of Nursing, TEI of Athens
• Vassalos Constantine, 1. Medical Doctor - Hygienist, MScPH, MScHM, PhD
• Dousis Evangelos, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, University of West Attika
• Polikandrioti Maria, Assistant Professor,Department of Nursing,Technological Educational Institute of Athens
• Vassalou Evdokia, Research Fellow, National School of Public Health, Athens
• Chalasios Nikolaos, Professor of Paediatrics, Medical School, University of Ioannina

Keywords index:

• depression
• thalassaemia
• teenagers

Pages: 133-144

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2332762

Abstract:

Objective: To explore characteristics of today’s Greek teenagers with thalassaemia, a hereditary disease, associated with the possibility of developing depression. Material and methods: Study sample consisted of 74 thalassaemic teenagers. Data collection was conducted using the "Children Depression Inventory” (CDI) and a questionnaire on teenage thalassaemic patients’ characteristics (socio-demographic; health condition) Results:In study thalassaemic teenagers, CDI Cronbach’s alpha was found to be 0.82. Most (65/74; 87%) had an average CDI score of 8. The vast majority (68/74) of study’s thalassaemic teenagers reported no body image changing. School absenteeism had a remarkable impact of 12% (sr²=0.12) on emotional mood of teenage thalassaemics. Relation of thalassaemic teenagers with their treating doctors and their mother’s workload interpreted 7% (sr²=0.07) and 7% (sr²=0.07) of CDI score, respectively. Conclusions:CDI proved to be reliable in Greek thalassaemic teenagers; and used for the first time to investigate their risk of developing depression. Only minimal depression was experienced by most teenage thalassaemics. Ranked in the order of importance, frequent school absenteeism, followed by poor relation with treating doctors as well as their working mother (caregiver) limited time for their care due to high workload, may deteriorate their emotional mood. It would be useful to plan actions to further reduce the small risk of developing depression as part of their healthy life.