FEAR OF NEGATIVE EVALUATION, ILLNESS PERCEPTION, AND FAMILY RELATIONS AS CORRELATES OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG SICKLE CELL PATIENTS

Abstract

Sickle cell disease is the most common form of haemoglobinopathy in Nigeria, and as a blood disorder, it is one of the greatest public health problems of this age with elevated rate depressive symptoms as one commonest problems. Unfortunately, sometimes, the inability to recognize that depression may arise from psychosocial factors surrounding patients with sickle cell disease, rather than being symptomatic of the disease itself remains a problem. The study adopted bio-psychosocial theory as a theoretical framework. The aim of this study was to examine fear of negative evaluation, illness perception and family relations as correlates of depressive symptoms among sickle patients. The study deployed 54 sickle cell patients from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Awka and Onitsha General Hospital using total population sampling technique. Four sets of well-structured questionnaire were used to collect data from the patients. The study utilized a correlation design and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was used as a statistical tool for the study. The first and second hypotheses were accepted because result revealed that fear of negative evaluation and illness perception were significant positive correlates of depressive symptoms. However, the third hypothesis was rejected because family relations was not a positive correlate of depressive symptoms. Based on the findings, the study concluded that fear of negative evaluation and illness perception are positive correlates of depressive symptoms among sickle cell patients. The study recommended that clinicians should always consider patients’ fear of negative evaluation and illness perception when rendering treatment for depressive symptoms among sickle cell patients. And psychological therapies should always be encouraged among sickle cell patients.