title: Life stories of older adults with sickle cell disease.
abstract: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic disease with acute, painful exacerbations that often results in a shortened life expectancy. We explored the life stories of middle-age and older adults with SCD to ascertain how they explain their longevity and how they see the place of SCD in their lives. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with 12 individuals living with SCD--seven women and five men. Respondents offered four main reasons for their longevity: self-care, supportive family/friends, a higher power, and medical care. Respondents reported life satisfactions of family, employment/education, and religious activities. The life stories reflect challenges of often living with a disease prior to diagnosis and without modern advances and the unpredictable nature of the disease. Their stories provide healthcare providers with insight into the supports SCD patients need to improve their health outcomes as they move through the life course.
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. coretta.jenerette@unc.edu
authors: Coretta M
authors: CM
authors: Jenerette
authors: Ashley N
authors: AN
authors: Leak
authors: Margarete
authors: M
authors: Sandelowski
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care; D012944:Social Support; D015144:Southeastern United States