ABSTRACT

Objective: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a multifaceted, chronic disease severely affecting the quality of life of patients and their families. In addition, it is becoming a costly public health concern. In comparing the epidemiology, management and outcome of SCD in the United States of America and the Caribbean, this article aimed to promote awareness of SCD and the need for adequate treatment.

Methods: The surveillance data for SCD patients in Grenada were collected from the General Hospital of Grenada (St George’s, Grenada) from discharge sheets that were filled out with the diagnosis of the patient and the cause of death. The data included the number of patients with SCD admitted to the hospital from 2007 to 2013, along with the number of individuals with SCD who died during each year.

Results: Based on the given data, the average prevalence of SCD was approximately 1.49 per 1000 persons per year. The average case-fatality rate was 1.10%, and the average causespecific mortality rate was 1.64 per 100 000 persons per year.

Conclusion: The lack of continuous registered follow-up of patients with SCD and the lack of preventive care, especially in developing countries, still results in the early deaths of patients. The data validated the severity of SCD in Grenada, and were compared with the data available in Haiti and Jamaica, in order to stress the importance of implementing better follow-up care to decrease the incidence and mortality of this devastating disease. Proper data collection and guidelines for basic care are needed to improve the quality of life of the patients with SCD in Grenada and the rest of the Caribbean region.