Quality of life and challenges experienced by the surviving adults with transfusion dependent thalassaemia in Malaysia: a cross sectional study

Table 2 Chronic anaemia and dependency on blood transfusion (n = 196)

Characteristics	Total (n = 196)	p value	Time of diagnosis and first transfusion
Characteristics	Total (n = 196)	p value	^a Group 1 (n = 85)	^b Group 2 (n = 22)	^c Group 3 (n = 89)
Type of thalassaemia		0.000
Beta thalassaemia major	126		78	15	33
HbE beta thalassaemia	59		7	7	45
HbH disease	11		0	0	11
Presence of other comorbidities		0.135
Yes	77		41	8	28
No	102		39	14	49
Marital status		0.001
Married	41		8	4	29
Single	154		77	18	59
Education		0.133
Primary	13		7	2	4
Secondary	133		60	10	63
Tertiary	50		18	10	22
Employment status		0.147
Employed	126		57	10	59
Unemployed	70		28	12	30

^aGroup 1: Thalassaemia diagnosed and started transfusion before age of 2 years
^bGroup 2: Thalassaemia diagnosed before 2 years old but first transfusion after 2 years old
^cGroup 3: Thalassaemia diagnosed and started transfusion after 2 years old

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