Psychosocial and academic impact of blood transfusion-dependent diseases on children

Abstract

Introduction: Children with transfusion dependant diseases are confronted with multiple physical, psychosocial and cognitive obstacles, which touches significantly on their well-being and quality of life. Aim:to assess the quality of life of children with transfusion-dependent diseases using the PedsQL 4.0 scale. Method: This was a descriptive and a cross-sectional study conducted on children with chronic regular transfusion therapy in the paediatric department A of Hedi Chaker Hospital in Sfax, Tunisia between December 2024 and Mai 2025. We collected demographic informations about the children and their families and the clinical characteristics of the disease. The quality of life was assessed using the PedsQL 4.0 Generic score scales for children aged over 5 years old. Results: Fifteen children requiring chronic transfusion therapy were included. Eleven families belonged to a low socio-economic class. The mean score of the children’s quality of life was 58.3%. The quality-of-life dimension with the highest score was the social function with a mean score of 67% while the dimension with the lowest score was the physical function with a mean score of 50.6%. Conclusion: Transfusion dependant diseases have major negative impact on the daily lives of affected patients. Understanding the challenges faced by these children and their families is important to guide management decisions aimed not only at prolonging life, but also at improving their overall quality of life.