BACKGROUND: Despite high rates of school absenteeism in adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD), the issue remains understudied. Potential associates of school absenteeism in adolescents with SCD include demographic (age, income), psychosocial (IQ, self-efficacy, competence, internalizing symptoms, negative thinking), and health-related (hemoglobin, health-care utilization, pain, disease knowledge). PROCEDURE: Forty participants ages 12-18 completed measures of psychosocial functioning, IQ, and pain. Medical chart reviews identified other health-related variables. A subsample also completed an assessment of goals. Using school records, absenteeism was the percent of school days missed in the previous year. Correlations tested associates of absenteeism and linear regression tested a model of absenteeism. RESULTS: Participants missed an average of 12% of the school year and more than 35% missed at least 1 month of school. Health-related and psychosocial variables, but not demographic variables, correlated with absenteeism. Attendance at clinic appointments and parent-reported teen pain frequency were significant associates of absenteeism in the regression model. For those who completed goal assessment, over 40% of goals identified were academically focused. Absenteeism was positively related to current academic goals and health-related hindrance of academic goals, and negatively related to future-oriented academic goals. CONCLUSIONS: School absenteeism is a significant problem for adolescents with SCD despite the presence of academic goals. Collaboration between schools, parents, patients, and providers to understand and manage the impact of SCD on school attendance is recommended.
BACKGROUND: Despite high rates of school absenteeism in adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD), the issue remains understudied. Potential associates of school absenteeism in adolescents with SCD include demographic (age, income), psychosocial (IQ, self-efficacy, competence, internalizing symptoms, negative thinking), and health-related (hemoglobin, health-care utilization, pain, disease knowledge). PROCEDURE: Forty participants ages 12-18 completed measures of psychosocial functioning, IQ, and pain. Medical chart reviews identified other health-related variables. A subsample also completed an assessment of goals. Using school records, absenteeism was the percent of school days missed in the previous year. Correlations tested associates of absenteeism and linear regression tested a model of absenteeism. RESULTS:Participants missed an average of 12% of the school year and more than 35% missed at least 1 month of school. Health-related and psychosocial variables, but not demographic variables, correlated with absenteeism. Attendance at clinic appointments and parent-reported teen pain frequency were significant associates of absenteeism in the regression model. For those who completed goal assessment, over 40% of goals identified were academically focused. Absenteeism was positively related to current academic goals and health-related hindrance of academic goals, and negatively related to future-oriented academic goals. CONCLUSIONS:School absenteeism is a significant problem for adolescents with SCD despite the presence of academic goals. Collaboration between schools, parents, patients, and providers to understand and manage the impact of SCD on school attendance is recommended.
Authors: Elizabeth Goodman; Bruce S McEwen; Lawrence M Dolan; Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff; Nancy E Adler Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2005-12 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Barbara S Shapiro; David F Dinges; Emily Carota Orne; Nancy Bauer; Linnette B Reilly; Wayne G Whitehouse; Kwaku Ohene-Frempong; Martin T Orne Journal: Pain Date: 1995-04 Impact factor: 6.961
Authors: Karen M Gil; James W Carson; Laura S Porter; Jawana Ready; Cecelia Valrie; Rupa Redding-Lallinger; Charles Daeschner Journal: J Pediatr Psychol Date: 2003 Jul-Aug
Authors: Tonya M Palermo; Joanne Dudeney; James P Santanelli; Alexie Carletti; William T Zempsky Journal: J Pediatr Hematol Oncol Date: 2018-03 Impact factor: 1.289
Authors: Lori E Crosby; Naomi E Joffe; Mary Kay Irwin; Heather Strong; James Peugh; Lisa Shook; Karen A Kalinyak; Monica J Mitchell Journal: Phys Disabil Date: 2015
Authors: W LaVome Robinson; Mary H Case; Christopher R Whipple; Adia S Gooden; Roberto Lopez-Tamayo; Sharon F Lambert; Leonard A Jason Journal: Pract Innov (Wash D C) Date: 2016-06