Uncertain crisis time affects psychosocial dimensions in beta-thalassemia patients during Covid-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Submitted materials consist of study dataset (Dataset_Thalassemia.xsls, EXCEL format), Syntax of analyses performed (Syntax_Thalassemia.sps, SPSS format), Output of results (Logfile_Thalassemia.spv, SPSS format).

Study dataset includes socio-demographic data of 43 beta-thalassemia patients and 86 controls and the clinical and psychosocial variables used in the study (i.e., distress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, coping strategies) as well as scores of perceived impact of Covid-19 outbreak and changes in life habits. Statistical analysis included group differences (one-way ANOVA) between patients and control subjects on: 1) psycho-socio-emotional measures including distress, depression and anxiety, loneliness and coping styles; 2) perceived impact of Covid-19 outbreak on health and economy; and 3) life habit changes, and in particular on the Social Habits, the Outdoor Habits and the Indoor Habits Scales. Study results no significant group differences (one-way ANOVA) in loneliness sub-scores, distress and depression variables. A significant group effect was found on anxiety scale and transcendent coping scale, with patients showing higher scores than control subjects in both measures. After multiple comparison correction, only the difference on transcendent coping scores remained significant. Significant group differences in the perceived impact of Covid-19 for economy was also found, showing that patients perceived the impact of Covid-19 for economy as more serious than control subjects. Finally, a significant group difference in the Outdoor Habits Scale emerged, with patients reporting greater changes in outdoor habits than controls. Outdoor Habits Scale correlated with DASS anxiety sub-scale.