Lived Experiences of Mothers Caring for Children With Thalassemia Major in Thailand

ISSUES AND PURPOSE: Thalassemic patients must be given continuous treatment throughout their lives due to the physical and psychological effects of their disorder; their families also are impacted. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of 15 mothers of children with thalassemia major by conducting semistructured interviews; the data were analyzed utilizing content analysis. CONCLUSION: Six themes were identified: lack of knowledge about thalassemia, psychosocial problems, concerns for the future, social support systems, financial difficulty, and the effectiveness of healthcare services. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest that a holistic, culturally sensitive nursing approach should be considered when caring for children with thalassemia.