Informant discrepancy in perceptions of sickle cell disease severity.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether informants (children, caregivers, and physicians) differ in their perceptions of chronic disease severity and the extent to which these differences can be explained by objective indices of disease severity, and adjustment of the caregiver.


METHODS
Participants were 58 children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 18 years diagnosed with sickle cell disease. Information on perceptions of disease severity, caregiver adjustment, and biological markers of disease severity was obtained at a routine clinic follow-up appointment.


RESULTS
Analyses indicated significant differences in perceptions of disease severity. Psychological adjustment of the caregiver and biological indices of disease severity were significant predictors of these differences.


CONCLUSIONS
Implications for the association between chronic disease and adjustment are discussed.
Connelly
Mark
M
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, P.O. Box 250852, 165 Cannon Street, Room 310, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. connelma@musc.edu
Wagner
Janelle L
JL
Brown
Ronald T
RT
Rittle
Carrie
C
Cloues
Barbara
B
Taylor
Lloyd Chip
LC
D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires