Hemophilia affects the patient's entire family throughout his lifetime.
As the person with hemophilia grows and develops, family
circumstances also change over time.
Family challenges can negatively impact the ability of the patient and his family to participate in hemophilia care or adhere to a plan of treatment. These challenges can include divorce, death in the family, school problems, financial problems, and job worries. At times, these matters will take precedence over hemophilia treatment needs. HTC staff should be familiar with available community services and resources to assist the families they serve and meet their needs.
Throughout this course, psychosocial issues have been interspersed under the Bridging the Gap icon. This section will cover other psychosocial issues that can affect hemophilia patients and their families.