[Life with haemophilia. The patient's perspective of ageing]

Patients with haemophilia are growing older and may be faced with age-dependent co-morbidities. To evaluate the impact of growing age in patients with haemophilia, a questionaire was sent to members of German patients' organisations DHG and IGH with focus on medical care and psychosocial questions. This questionnaire was answered by 466 individuals (aged 50 years, 21-85 years), predominantly suffering from severe haemophilia. The majority of individuals considered the question of substitution of factor concentrates in case of bleeding as most important. Concerns were expressed regarding the financial situation and lack of medical care in higher age. The results provide an insight into issues of growing age from the patient's perspective.