Quality of Life in Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia

Abstract

ickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder caused by abnormal hemoglobin that damages and deforms red blood cells (RBCs). The abnormal red cells break down, causing anemia, and obstruct blood vessels, leading to recurrent episodes of severe pain and multiorgan ischemic damage. SCD affects millions of people throughout the world and is particularly common among people whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa (Williamson, 2007). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the quality of life (QOL) is defined as "the individuals' perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns" (WHOQOL, 1995). Sickle cell disease impacts the physical, emotional and psychological aspects of life of the affected persons, exposing them to disease associated stigma from the society and alters the health related quality of life (Adeyemo, 2015). Adolescents with SCD have significantly worse HRQoL than their peers in all of the most important dimensions of HRQoL (physical functioning, physical roles limitation, emotional roles limitation, social functioning, bodily pain, vitality and general health perception) except mental health. Recent hospital admission and SCD related complication