Knowledge, attitude and practice towards dietary iron among patients with thalassemia and their caregivers in Peninsular Malaysia

INTRODUCTION: Thalassemias are the most common human monogenic disorders in the world. Regular blood transfusion and increased intestinal absorption of iron among thalassemia patients will lead to iron overload, which will not only markedly decrease their life expectancy but also pose a heavy burden to the healthcare system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitude and practice towards dietary iron among thalassemia patients and their caregivers.

METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional study using purposive sampling method was conducted at eight thalassemia societies in Peninsular Malaysia. 260 respondents comprised of patients and caregivers were assessed with two separate sets of questionnaires.

RESULTS: Knowledge on dietary iron among the respondents was unsatisfactory, despite them having good knowledge on thalassemia disorder. Female patients were found to have better dietary knowledge, attitude and practice compared to males. The percentage of caregivers with good attitude and good practice were significantly higher compared to adult patients. Caregivers with children on iron chelators were noted to have better dietary attitude and practice. Thalassemia knowledge and children on vitamins were found to be the predictors of dietary knowledge among the patients and caregivers respectively.

CONCLUSION: The level of knowledge on dietary iron among the patients and caregivers was unsatisfactory in spite of their attitude and practice towards dietary iron were good. Effective delivery of dietary information to the patients and caregivers is essential to enable them to choose a healthy diet for their condition.