title: Quality of life of individuals with sickle cell disease followed at referral centers in Alagoas, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sickle cell disease is a genetic, hereditary and chronic disease that affects the health of its carriers and might impair their health-related quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the current study was to assess the health-related quality of life of individuals with sickle cell disease followed at referral centers in Alagoas, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 individuals with sickle cell disease aged 12 to 43 years old were evaluated by means of sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires, the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and the Beck Depression Inventory. The latter was applied only to adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants were adults (62.5%) with a predominance of the SS genotype (85%) with pain being the commonest complication (95%). Mood disorder was found in 40% of the adults. The patients exhibited overall impairment of quality of life, which was more pronounced among the adults and under 15-year-old adolescents. Married adults exhibited less impairment of most quality of life domains compared to unmarried adults, and the adults with mood disorder exhibited greater impairment of all quality of life domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that interventions that aim to improve vitality, pain, and mental health might contribute to maintaining high levels of quality of life in patients with sickle cell disease, especially among adults and under 15-year-old adolescents.
authors: Universidade Federal de Alagoas - UFAL, Maceió, AL, Brazil.
authors: Rosana Quintella Brandão
authors: RQ
authors: Vilela
authors: Jairo Calado
authors: JC
authors: Cavalcante
authors: Bruno Fernandes
authors: BF
authors: Cavalcante
authors: Diego Lisboa
authors: DL
authors: Araújo
authors: Matheus de Melo
authors: Mde M
authors: Lôbo
authors: Fernando Antônio Tenório
authors: FA
authors: Nunes
keywords: Adolescents; Adults; Anemia, sickle cell/diagnosis; Depression/diagnosis; Electrophoresis; Quality of life; Questionnaire; Socioeconomic factors