Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Characterization of Sickling During Controlled Automated Deoxygenation with Oxygen Gradient Ektacytometry
Published on: November 5, 2019
Psychological distress and coping in sickle cell disease: comparison of British and Jamaican attitudes
V J Thomas1, I Hambleton, G Serjeant
1Unit of Psychology, United Medical & Dental Schools of Guy's, Kings & St Thomas, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
Objective:
To investigate possible differences in coping mechanisms in the painful crisis between Jamaican and London patients with homozygous sickle cell disease.
Design:
Patients recruited from two London hospitals and the MRC Laboratories (Jamaica) at the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica were assessed using a questionnaire design. Patients with homozygous sickle cell disease were included, 30 in London and 30 in Jamaica.
Results:
Jamaican patients in Jamaica had less general anxiety, a lower emotional response to pain, lower levels of perceived pain, and felt better able to decrease their pain. London patients believed that the disease had a more marked effect on their quality of life.
Conclusion:
Understanding the differences between patients' response to pain and their coping ability between Jamaican and UK patients may have important lessons for evolving effective management in the UK.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
Psychological Responses to Stress
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...