Clinical, Economic,and Psychosocial Burden of Thalassemia in Sohag

Thalassemia constitutes one of the most common inherited hemoglobin disorders worldwideand remains a major public health problem in Egypt, where carrier rates approach 9‐10%and both alpha and beta thalassemia gene defects are well documented in the population .In Egypt, the burden of disease is particularly evident among pediatric patients withtransfusion dependent beta thalassemia (TDT), who require lifelong regular bloodtransfusions and iron chelation therapy and are consequently at risk of iron overload,organ damage, and transfusion transmitted infections despite improvements in transfusionsafety .Regional studies from Upper Egypt have documented a high frequency of transfusion relatedcomplications in multitransfused children, including elevated rates of hepatitis C andother infections, and have highlighted ongoing gaps in screening and blood safetypractices that continue to contribute to clinical morbidity . Concurrently, quality oflife (QoL) research in Egyptian pediatric thalassemia populations demonstrates consistentand clinically meaningful impairments across physical, emotional, social, and schoolfunctioning domains, with socioeconomic disadvantage and markers of greater diseaseseverity (for example, higher ferritin and longer disease duration) associated with worseoutcomes .Beyond direct clinical consequences, thalassemia imposes a substantial economic andpsychosocial burden on families and health systems . Cost analyses and health resourcestudies indicate significant direct medical expenses and large indirect costs fromcaregiver absenteeism, transport, and lost productivity, and these burdens are magnifiedin low resource settings where comprehensive social support is limited. Cultural factorssuch as high rates of consanguineous marriage and variable uptake of premarital screeningin Egypt also influence disease prevalence and complicate prevention strategies