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Updated: Mar 9, 2026

A Precision Medicine Tool for Measurement and Monitoring of Hemoglobin S in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Receiving Transfusion Therapy
Perceived Racial Bias and Health-Related Stigma Among Youth with Sickle Cell Disease
Emily O Wakefield1, Jill M Popp, Lourdes P Dale
1*Department of Psychology, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT; †Division of Pain and Palliative Medicine, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT; ‡Department of Research, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT; §Department of Psychology, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT.
Objective:
Little is known about the role of perceived racial bias and health-related stigma on the health of youth with sickle cell disease (SCD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of perceived racial bias and health-related stigma among youth with SCD and its relationship with psychological and physical well-being.
Methods:
Twenty-eight youth with SCD, ages 13 to 21, were recruited from outpatient and inpatient settings at an urban children's medical center. Participants completed measures of perceived racial bias, perceived health-related stigma, depression, quality of life, and pain burden.
Results:
Most participants endorsed occurrences of racial bias and health-related stigma. The findings indicate that greater perceived racial bias was associated with greater pain burden, and greater perceived health-related stigma was related to lower quality of life.
Conclusion:
Perceived racial bias and health-related stigma may be important to consider for future research investigating the psychological and physiological features of SCD for youth.
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