BACKGROUND

Children living with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience multiple challenges that impairs their physical, psychological, social life and development. There is limited literature on the prevalence rate of psychological symptoms among these children in Uganda. We aimed to assess the health-related psychological distress and associated factors among children with SCD in an urban tertiary health facility in Uganda.

METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) Kampala, Uganda, including children with SCD aged 7 to 17 years attending inpatient and outpatient departments of sickle cell unit. Psychological distress was assessed using distress questionnaire 5 (DQ-5). We also used the Child behavioral questionnaire in a Paper based form for data collection.

RESULTS

A total of 288 children were included in this study. Their mean age was 12.0±3.6 years. Majority of the children were female (52.4%, n=151), in primary schools (66.3%, n=191) and lived with their mothers only (51.0%, n=147). The prevalence of psychological distress was 34.0% (n=98). Children aged 11 to 17 years were more likely to have psychological distress when compared to those aged 7 to 10 years [Adjusted Odd Ration (aOR): 1.8, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.1 - 3.1, p= 0.029].

CONCLUSIONS

Almost every 1 in 3 children with SCD in Uganda has psychological distress. There is a great need for interventions to support the psychological needs of this population of children. Therefore, by fostering understanding and providing appropriate support, it is possible to mitigate the negative psychological impact and promote resilience in these young patients.