Psychiatric morbidity in patients with sickle cell anaemia

The prevalence of mild psychiatric morbidity in 38 sickle cell anaemia patients who had been in steady state for more than three months was compared with that of a matched control. Psychiatric morbidity was assessed using Goldberg general health questionnaire and the Leeds self assessment for depression and anxiety. The prevalence rate of psychiatric morbidity among the patients was 63% and among the control 21%. The patients had mainly mixed anxiety and depressive symptoms.