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Future Orientation and Life Expectations of Adolescents and Young Adults with Thalassemia Major a
Author(s) -
BUSH SHERRY,
MANDEL FRANCINE S.,
GIARDINA PATRICIA J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1998.tb10494.x
Subject(s) - locus of control , psychosocial , life expectancy , disease , medicine , thalassemia , ethnic group , psychology , gerontology , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , environmental health , psychiatry , population , sociology , anthropology
A bstract : Until recently, Thalassemia Major was considered a fatal disease and patients did not usually live into adulthood. Advances in the medical management of the disease have greatly increased the life expectancy of these patients. The present study aims to evaluate the future orientation and other aspects of psychosocial functioning of thalassemics compared to healthy controls. Thirty patients and 33 healthy subjects of similar age, ethnicity, education, and geographic area were compared on measures of future expectations, perceived social support, life orientation, health locus of control and hopelessness. Results show no significant differences between thalassemics and controls on all measures except for higher levels of internal health locus of control among the patient group. Results and implications of perceptions of thalassemics' future orientation relevant to patient care are discussed.