الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Sickle cell anemia is one of the most difficult blood diseases and needs constant care.
Therefore, those who deal with this disease must have a sufficient degree of empowerment to
be able to take care of their patients and the extent of empowerment appear through the level
of information and recorded practices, Empowered caregivers were found to be actively
acquired useful knowledge about healthcare, support, legal procedures, and more. Therefore,
they understand the medical care that the person is receiving and they become able to assess
what the care-receiver should and should not do and respond appropriately to the various
needs of the care-receiver (Campbell et al., 2020).
The present study was carried out to identify the caregivers’ empowerment regarding
caring of their patient with (SCD) in Siwa. The study was conducted at the out Patient Clinic
of Siwa General Hospital. A convenience sampling of 112 caregivers having patient with
(SCD) comprised the subjects. Two tools were used to collect the study data, namely (family
structured interview schedule, and the adapted family empowerment scale), which were
developed by the researcher unless the last one was adapted by the researcher, based on recent
national and international guidelines of related literature. Every caregiver was individually
interviewed to collect the necessary data and have the right to withdraw at any time.
The main results of the current study were as follows:
More than half of the studied patients gender (57.1%) were females In addition, about
(42.9%) were males.
It was observed that (96.4%) of the care giver at the studied families were males and
about only (3.6%) of them females and (100.0%) of the care giver were married.
Near half of them (42.9%) have General secondary education or its equivalent, only (7.1%)
of caregivers have College or higher institute studies , (3.6%) of them have Intermediate
Institute studies, and the rest was between preparatory or primary education, literacy, or
uneducated.
the majority of onset of the disease starts more at the age of six months or more after birth
(71.42%) .
44 out of 112 patients had a current complaint, including Pain (79.54%), Hemoglobin
deficiency (11.36%), Cholesterol disorder (9.1 %).
41 from 112 patient have an complications related to the disease, Splenomegaly
(48.8%), Blood clot (19.5%), Osteoporosis (14.6%), renal failure (12.2%),
osteomyelitis (4.9%).
The Current treatment for this patients based on Antimetabolites ( Hydra ) , antibiotic
, analgesics ,and diet supplement ( folic acid , L.Carnatine ) with some deferments
between cases
The most common problems in caring for patients with sickle cell anemia in Siwa Oasis
were (Distance, lack of specialists, difficulty in transporting ).
About more than quarter of this families (28.6%)not keen to do a pre-marital examination
for the rest of the family .
The knowledge level of caregivers were as following ,more than half of them (52.68%)
had poor level ,( 44.64%) of them within average , and only (2.68% ) had good level .
The suitable diet for this kind of patient was not clear to the care givers, so you find that
most of them (82.1 %) do not know a diet suitable for their patients.
The majority of caregivers (89.3 %) didn’t keen to give the patient routine and seasonal vaccinations .
Total levels of this reported practices were, (60.71%) of the caregivers had Satisfactory
practices, while ( 32.14%) of them had partial satisfactory practices, and (7.14%) of them
had unsatisfactory practices.
Total of empowerment scale shows that more than half of the families (62.50%) have
high level of empowerment , third of them (30.36%) have moderate level of
empowerment and (7.14%) of them have low level of empowerment.
There were positive correlation between the level of empowerment and their socio
economic level, their knowledge of family caregivers, and reported practices of family
caregivers (the correlation coefficient is 0.447**, 0.434**,0.664**) respectively,
This suggests that the level of empowerment affected by the level of socio economic,
knowledge of family caregivers, and reported practices of family caregivers.
There were statistically significant association between the knowledge of caregivers,
their reported practices, and total of the level of family empowerment and the age of them,
(F=14.561) p (0.000)*, ( F=8.809) p (0.000)*, and (F=3.464) p (0.019)* respectively .
Additionally, there were statistically significant association between the knowledge of
caregivers and their gender (T=2.013) p (0.047)*
Also apparent that the level of empowerment of family affected by level of education
and Place of residence which had highest mean for college or higher institute
(101.00±0.00) and for urban (89.80±13.79).
Based on the current study findings, the following recommendations are
suggested:
Recommendation directed to different ministries :-
Recommendation directed to Ministry of Health and Population
(MOHP).
Providing seasonal vaccinations, especially for sickle cell anemia patients, and ensuring
that caregivers’ awareness of giving these vaccinations to their families is increased.
Providing a medical staff specialized in hematology at Siwa Hospital.
Conduct a training program for nursing staff on dealing with sickle cell anemia cases in
emergency situations.
Health care providers in different health care settings should provide caregivers with
updated simplified Arabic handouts, brochures, pamphlets, and booklets about SCD to
improve caregivers’ and their families’ awareness specially spleen examination, and
patient nutrition.
Providing specialized laboratory technicians to deal with the electrophoresis device used
in diagnosing anemia
Finding a suitable way to provide blood bags at Siwa Hospital on an ongoing basis.
Creating an integrated system to support people with sickle cell anemia by providing
specialists, treatments and necessary examinations .
Making identification cards for patients to facilitate routine paperwork procedures in
hospitals, especially since these patients constantly visit the hospital.
Recommendation directed to Ministry of Communication and
Information Technology (MCIT):-
Increase awareness to reduce consanguineous marriage and conduct pre-marital
examination.
Work to remove the idea that this gene carrier is a stigma, especially among girls.
Mass media should emphasize the physical, psychological, and social needs of patient
with SCD and their families to raise society’s awareness regarding this disease.
Recommendation directed to community support organizations:-
Providing financial support for poor families who have patients suffering from sickle cell
anemia.
Providing seminars for caregivers in these families to learn more about this disease and
ways to care for patients.
Recommendation directed to families’ care givers:-
Strengthening the family caregivers role in dealing correctly with the pain attacks and
how to avoid them.
Seasonal vaccinations compliance: their times and schedule.
Taking care of a healthy diet for patients and learning about the foods that should be most
avoided and what nutrients the patient needs in order to avoid complications of the
disease.
The family caregivers should take an active role as a social support group for the newly
diagnosed patients and their families.
Further Studies:
Applying training programs for nurses about knowledge and practice about SCD
Impact of using folk medicine on the patients with SCD health
Applying training programs for caregivers about the healthy diet for patients with SCD.
Impact of using cupping on the patients with SCD health