Role of spirituality in patients with sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND Patients with sickle cell disease cope with their disease in various ways, such as psychological counseling, hypnosis, medication, and prayer. Spirituality is a coping mechanism in a variety of diseases. This study evaluates the role of spirituality in patients coping with the pain of sickle cell disease. METHODS Seventy-one patients from the Georgia Sickle Cell Clinic completed a questionnaire addressing their ability to cope with the pain of sickle cell disease and their degree of spirituality. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were calculated for the relation between coping with the pain of sickle cell disease and spirituality. RESULTS The questionnaire provided several scales with high internal consistency for measuring spiritual well-being and its two components, existential well-being and religious well-being, that show a correlation between high levels of spirituality and life control. The study population exhibited high levels of spirituality and religiosity, but the influence of these feelings on coping with sickle cell disease was variable. Spiritual well-being was correlated with life-control but not with perceived pain severity. CONCLUSIONS Existential well-being was associated with general coping ability. Spiritual well-being is important for some patients who must cope with the pain of sickle cell disease.