Journal Article

This 2018 systematic review from a peer-reviewed journal addressed the topic of health related stigma in both adolescents as well as adults living with sickle cell disease. This genetically inherited hemoglobin disorder can lead to serious health complications like infection, stroke, acute and chronic pain among other problems. Although there are comprehensive care measures in place for patients with sickle cell disease, there is this sense of disparity and difference in access to care when compared to other genetic disorders (i.e. cystic fibrosis, hemophilia). This review aimed to determine the current state of knowledge regarding health-related stigma of sickle cell disease, and how to acknowledge and tackle that negative association

 

The authors searched across multiple databases and ultimately twenty-seven peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria. There were four distinct domains that unified the included studies: 1) the social consequences of stigma 2) the effect of stigma on psychological well being 3) the effect of stigma on physiological well being 4) the impact of stigma on patient-provider relationships and care seeking behavior. Based on the results of the literature, SCD stigma does have negative consequences on the lives and health of patients with SCD. This includes hindering both their physiological and psychological well-being, resulting social stigma/consequences, and impairing their healthcare interactions as well. Contributing factors to stigma include disease status, pain/opioid use, racism and disease severity. The results of this article are clinically significant because by understanding the mediating factors contributing to the stigma associated with sickle cell disease, we as healthcare providers can recognize and be well equipped to combat it.