The relationship between spiritual well-being and quality of life in patients with thalassemia

Thalassemia is one of the hereditary chronic blood disorders that can have negative effects on the quality of life of these patients. Today, quality of life is considered as one of the most important health phenomena, and identifying the factors involved in it can help increase and improve the quality of life. So, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between spiritual health and quality of life in thalassemia patients.

In this descriptive-correlational study, 121 patients with thalassemia were selected and included in the study by available sampling method from the thalassemia department of Bam city hospital in 2018. The tools used included the demographic form, Polotzin and Ellison spiritual Well-Being questionnaire and WHOQOL-BREF quality of life. The data were collected by self-report method and analyzed using SPSS version 22 statistical software and t-test. One-way variance and Pearson's correlation coefficient were analyzed at a significance level of p < 0.05.

In the present study, the average scores of their spiritual well-being (82.43 ± 17.35)  and quality of life (81.71 ± 19.55) were at an average level, and there was a positive and significant correlation between the average score of spiritual well-being  and quality of life (r = 0.44, p < 0.001).

The results obtained from this research emphasized the necessity of strengthening spiritual well-being as a factor affecting the quality of life of patients. The design of a care plan to improve the spiritual health of thalassemia patients is emphasized based on holistic care.