Depressive Symptoms in Primary Caregivers of Children with Beta-thalassemia Beta-talasemili Çocukların Birincil Bakım Verenlerinde Depresif Belirtiler
Guncel Pediatri, cilt.24, sa.2, ss.105-110, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus, TRDizin)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 24 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.4274/jcp.2026.23245
- Dergi Adı: Guncel Pediatri
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, Directory of Open Access Journals, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM), Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.105-110
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Beta-thalassemia, caregiver, depressive signs
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Introduction: Beta-thalassemia major is a chronic hematologic condition that requires lifelong medical care and imposes substantial psychosocial demands on families. Primary caregivers, particularly parents, face ongoing emotional, financial, and practical stressors that may place them at increased risk for depressive symptoms. Despite this burden, routine screening for caregiver mental health remains limited in many pediatric settings. This study aimed to assess depressive symptoms among primary caregivers of children with beta-thalassemia major using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and to explore potential associations with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 49 primary caregivers of children with beta-thalassemia major followed at a tertiary pediatric hematology center in Türkiye. Data were collected using a structured sociodemographic questionnaire and the PHQ-2. Relationships between depressive symptoms and caregiver- and child-related variables were examined. Results: Sixteen percent of caregivers scored above the PHQ-2 cutoff, indicating increased risk for depression. PHQ-2 scores did not differ significantly according to the child’s gender, transfusion frequency, medication use, or presence of medical complications. Similarly, no significant associations were found with parental age, education level, chronic illness, household income, household size, or immigration status. Although not statistically significant, higher depressive symptom scores were observed among caregivers with first-degree relatives affected by chronic illness and among those whose children did not receive formal social support services. Conclusion: A meaningful proportion of caregivers of children with beta-thalassemia major exhibited elevated depressive symptoms, even in the absence of clear sociodemographic or clinical predictors. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating brief mental health screening tools into routine pediatric hematology follow-up and emphasize the need for multidisciplinary approaches that address both medical and psychosocial aspects of chronic childhood illness. Further studies with larger samples are warranted to better identify risk factors and to inform targeted support strategies for caregivers.