Quality of life of adolescents living with sickle cell anaemia in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This study assessed the level of knowledge and quality of life of adolescents living with SCD and their quality of life. METHODS: this study utilized descriptive research design. The study was conducted two secondary level hospitals with functional SCD clinic in Ondo State. In 104 adolescent whose consent were previously sought and gained participated in the study. RESULTS: results showed that more males (63.5%) participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was observed to be 15.26±3.09 years. More than half (62.5%) of the participants that participated in the study had SCD crisis in the last six months. The mean SCD knowledge of participants in the study was 22.12±2.76. Only 15.4% of the participants had good knowledge of SCD. Only 13(12.5%) have high quality of life. The mean score of the participants on the quality of life scale was observed to be 39.50±6.47. CONCLUSION: knowledge of adolescent with SCD that participated in the study was relatively low and their quality of life moderate. Effort should therefore, geared toward improving their knowledge about SCD and rendering supportive care that will improve their quality of life.

Keywords

• knowledge
• quality of life
• adolescent
• sickle cell disease