Psychological Distress and Coping in Sickle Cell Disease: Comparison of British and Jamaican Attitudes

Abstract

Objective. To investigate possible differences in coping mechanisms in the painful crisis between Jamaican and London patients with homozygous sickle cell disease. Design. Patients recruited from two London hospitals and the MRC Laboratories (Jamaica) at the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica were assessed using a questionnaire design. Patients with homozygous sickle cell disease were included, 30 in London and 30 in Jamaica. Results. Jamaican patients in Jamaica had less general anxiety, a lower emotional response to pain, lower levels of perceived pain, and felt better able to decrease their pain. London patients believed that the disease had a more marked effect on their quality of life. Conclusion. Understanding the differences between patients' response to pain and their coping ability between Jamaican and UK patients may have important lessons for evolving effective management in the UK.