Adult Sicklers Description of Sickle Cell Crisis manifestation and preventive measures

Abstract

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by defective haemoglobin. It manifest by episodes of crisis which is a menance to the patients and their families. The purpose of the study is to assess the self-description of sickles cell crisis and frightening factors by the adult sicklers. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. 232 adult sickle cell patients who attend sickle cell clinic at UNTH and Enugu State University Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu from July to Dec 2013 were used for the study. The data were collected using questionnaire constructed by the researchers. A splite –half method was use to find the reliability of co-relation co-efficient of 0.81. The findings show that 126 (54.3) reported pain in the chest and stomach, 224 (96.6%) reported pains in bones of the legs, arms and hips, 85(36.6%) reported headache while 150 (64.5%) described not drinking enough water as triggering factor to sickle cell crisis and 144 (62.1%) described malaria as a triggering factor to the crisis. It is recommended that care givers should put into consideration these symptoms and triggering factors identified by adult sickle cell patient while caring for them.