Public Health and Social Implications for Management and Control of Sickle Cell Disease in Developing Countries

Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects millions of people around the world, with most cases occurring in developing countries. SCD is typically associated with developing nations when public health interventions and medical care aimed at lowering morbidity and mortality are frequently inadequate. Emotional, socio-behavioural, and cognitive effects are all possible impact from the pain associated with SCD. People with SCD are more likely to have problems with psychosocial functioning, interpersonal interactions, self-esteem, and maladaptive coping behaviours. Furthermore, research has indicated that anxiety and depression are linked to more emergency department visits, hospital admissions, chronic pain flares, SCD crises, and greater levels of related psychological problems in SCD patients.

Further research found a link between anxiety, a lower health-related quality of life, and increased discomfort in people with SCD. These findings emphasize the need of detecting and treating psychological symptoms in people with SCD, notably anxiety and depression.

The burden of SCD is exacerbated by several social issues. Individuals with SCD face a variety of societal challenges, including stigma. Stigma may have health-related consequences if it causes people to be socially criticized or excluded because of their identity, such as tribe and ethnicity, or socio-economic status, limiting their access to beneficial services. Stigma can cause significant hurdles to care, exacerbate existing physiological symptoms, and place a significant psychological burden on sufferers. In addition, SCD has serious implications for critical social institutions such as the family, marriage, and religion. It also has far-reaching consequences on controversial morality and legal concerns on issues of abortion and euthanasia.

It is therefore our contention that a multidisciplinary approach involving medical and behavioural scientist is critical to understanding, the management, and control of SCD rather the current medicalized approach adopted by most developing countries.