A pilot test of the Adult Sickle Cell Quality of Life Measurement Information System (ASCQ-Me) and the Jenerette Self-Care Assessment (J-SAT) Tools in adults with sickle cell disease

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to pilot test two sickle cell-specific instruments, the Adult Sickle Cell Quality of Life Measurement Information System (ASCQ-Me) and Jenerette Self-Care Assessment Tool (J-SAT), to determine recruitment rate, percent completion of the instrument battery, and patient perceptions of health-related quality of life outcomes and self-care activities in a convenience sample of adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). METHODS: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted. Participants were recruited from a sickle cell clinic and conference on SCD. Subjects completed self-administered assessments including demographic and clinical characteristics, ASCQ-Me, and the J-SAT. RESULTS: Twenty of 22 participants completed the instruments (2 refusals) and most instruments had 100% completion rates. Participants reported average to healthier status on ASCQ-Me measures than a normative referent population of 556 individuals with SCD. Participants also reported high disease severity and high J-SAT scores (mean = 30.2), indicating frequent participation in self-care activities. CONCLUSIONS: There was good participation, low refusal rates, and subjects completed the instruments and items without difficulty. Based on this work, a multi-method, multi-site study in Jamaica and the USA will be conducted to understand the relationships between health-related quality of life, stigma, and self-management in adults with SCD.