Life stories of older adults with sickle cell disease.

摘要: Abstract: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic with acute, painful exacerbations that often results in shortened life expectancy. We explored the stories of middle-age and older adults SCD to ascertain how they explain their longevity see place lives. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews 12 individuals living SCD- seven women five men. Respondents offered four main reasons for longevity: self-care, supportive family /friends, higher power, medical care. reported satisfactions family, employment/ education, religious activities. The reflect challenges prior diagnosis without modern advances unpredictable nature disease. Their provide healthcare providers insight into supports patients need improve health outcomes as move through course. Key Words: Aging, Life Story, Cell Disease condition found primarily populations African American sub-Saharan descents (Wethers, 2000). lives persons are characterized by frequent pain episodes (resulting from lack oxygen owing occlusion blood vessels sickle-shaped red cells), numerous hospitalizations or other complications SCD, host economic familial burdens (Edwards et al., 2005). expectancy has increased 14 years 1973 mid-to-late 40s 2004, transforming mainly childhood longterm illness (Diggs, 1973: Quinn. Rogers. & Buchanan. 20041. In influenced type SCD. United States, 65% cases most severe-homozygous HbSS SCD-SSwhile 25% heterozygous SCD-SC (Bonds, Cooperative Study focused on natural history 3,578 age newborn 66 years, Piatt colleagues (1991) average rate SCD-SS was twice SCD-SC. another study, (1994) median death 42 males 48 females while SCD-SC, ages 60 68 females, respectively. Although this increase partly due treatment people still receive inadequate This calls question what else may account longevity. purpose study featured here explore explained saw METHODS genre story we used Plummer (2001, p. 396) referred "researched story." Such deliberately elicited serve research purposes: case, describe middle-aged viewed treated these sources information answer our questions. Human subjects approval obtained. Sampling Participants recruited an adult sickle program southeastern States. They purposefully selected represent men who had lived beyond lifespan expected anticipated sample would be predominantly profile US (Ofori-Acquah Ohene-Frempong, 2007). Persons known cognitive impairment excluded because not able required participation study. …