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Assessment of depression in children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia in a low-resource setting: a comparative

Osita U Ezenwosu1,2,3, Barth F Chukwu1, Ndubuisi A Uwaezuoke1

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria.

Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
|July 15, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) experience higher rates of depression, particularly negative mood. Routine depression screening is recommended for SCA patients in low-resource settings.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Hematology
  • Child Psychology
  • Global Health

Background:

  • Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is frequently associated with psychological distress, including depression, in affected children.
  • Assessing depression in resource-limited settings is crucial for understanding care needs.
  • This study focuses on children and adolescents with SCA in a low-resource environment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of depression among children and adolescents with SCA in a low-resource setting.
  • To compare depression levels in SCA patients versus healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional observational study involving 84 children and adolescents with SCA (ages 7-17) and 84 matched controls with AA hemoglobin genotype.
  • Systematic random sampling was employed for participant selection.
  • Data collected via socio-demographic questionnaire and the Children's Depression Inventory.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of depression was non-significantly higher in SCA subjects (8.3%) compared to controls (2.4%).
  • SCA subjects showed 3.7 times higher odds of depression (OR=3.7, p=0.107), though not statistically significant.
  • A significantly higher negative mood score was observed in SCA subjects across depression subscales (p=0.042).

Conclusions:

  • Children and adolescents with SCA exhibit a higher negative mood and increased odds of depression compared to healthy peers.
  • Despite similar overall prevalence, specific mood disturbances warrant attention.
  • Integrating depression assessment into routine care for SCA patients in resource-poor settings is recommended.

Keywords:
Adolescentschildrendepressionlow-resourcesickle cell

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