ABSTRACT

Objectives: This study compared the subjective well-being of adults with homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease to a matched group of healthy adult peers. The differential influence of sociodemographic factors on the subjective well-being of Sickle Cell patients was also examined.

Methods: The Ferran and Powers Quality of Life Index and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule were used to assess subjective well-being. Seventy-five homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease patients and sixty-seven matched controls (adults with normal haemoglobin: AA) from the Sickle Cell Disease Cohort Study in Jamaica were interviewed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences between the groups.

Result: Patients with Sickle cell (SS) disease were less satisfied than matched controls with their lives overall, their health and functioning, social and economic situation and psychological functioning. Sickle cell disease patients reported lower levels of positive affect but similar levels of negative affect as controls. Unemployed sickle cell disease patients were less satisfied than all other adults with their lives overall, health and functioning, psychological functioning and social and economic situation. Sickle cell disease patients with lower occupational status were less satisfied with their family life than all other adults.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that subjective well-being is compromised in patients with homozygous sickle cell disease. These patients may benefit from interventions designed to improve their subjective well-being.