Thalassemia remains a major public health burden in Indonesia, especially among populations with a familial predisposition. This research employed a Research and Development (R&D) methodology to design, develop, and evaluate a community-based screening model for early detection of thalassemia carriers among adolescents aged 10–24 years from families with known thalassemia cases. Using a mixed-methods approach, need assessment was conducted through focus group discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews, and surveys. A screening prototype was developed and validated through field testing and comparison with HbA2 blood test as the gold standard. The screening model demonstrated a sensitivity of 76,5%, specificity of 85,6%,. These results indicate the model's moderate diagnostic performance, making it a feasible early screening tool in low-resource settings. This study contributes a scalable, low-cost model that can enhance national prevention strategies.

Keywords: Thalassemia, screening model, adolescents, community health, research and development