Abstract

 Background and Objectives

 Hemophilia is a hereditary bleeding disorder associated with multiple complications. Adolescents are a wide population of hemophilia patients. The appropriate management of chronic diseases requires an adequate knowledge about their complications. The aim of the present study is to assess the knowledge of hemophilia affected adolescents on the prevention of its complications.

 Materials and Methods

 In this descriptive study, the adolescents affected with hemophilia were selected from 11 hemophilia centers during 9 - month period between 2011-2012 by the available sampling method. For data collection, a questionnaire developed by researchers as the self report method was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 13).

 Results

 From 108 participating hemophilic adolescents, 35.3% were not aware of hemophilia complications, 43.7% of the preventive methods of hemophilia complications, and 47% of the causes of the complications. Out of the total number, 69.5% had not received any information about the prevention of complications. In the assessment of the adolescents' knowledge of hemophilia complications, 67.6% were not aware of viral infections, 56.1% of threatening bleeding, 60.6% of the complications of dentistry procedures, 68.2% of threatening drugs, and 22.4% of threatening exercises. As far as the other aspects of the prevention of complications are concerned, the adolescents were either unaware or modestly aware.

 Conclusions

 There is a need to promote the preventive knowledge of complications among hemophilia adolescents. Faced with the scarcity of resources, it is the education that plays an important role in organizing hemophilia services in developing countries.