HEALTH CARE PROVIDER ATTITUDE DURING THE MANAGEMENT OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE PATIENTS, A MULTICENTER STUDY IN SAUDI ARABIA

Objective: To investigate the health care provider attitude during the management of sickle cell disease patients in Saudi Arabia.

Method: Data was collected using a questionnaire which was distributed to health care providers (physician and nurses) from both genders at King Fahad Hospital, Ohud Hospital and Maternity And Children Hospital in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.  The questionnaire consists of three basic paragraphs: (1) attitudes, practices, and knowledge level; (2) the health care provider's believe ; and (3) demographic information.

Results: Females were 52.3 %, Nurse 42.1%, physicians 57.9%. 37.4% of  the participants deal with Sickle cell disease patients always. 20.6% of the participants believe that more than 75% of sickle cell patients seek drug when they come to the hospital. 19.6% of the participants believe that more than 75%  of sickle cell patients are frustrating to take care of them. 72% focus on the need to avoid addiction during treatment. And 69% believe that the self-report of patient about acute pain episodesis the most reliable. 60% were bothered by the way some nurses treat patients with sickle cell disease, while  59% were bothered by the way some physicians treat patients with sickle cell disease.

Conclusion: Health care providers in Saudi Arabia have a negative attitude towards sickle cell disease patients. But nurses are more negative towards this group of patients compared to physicians.

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Keywords: Sickle cell disease, Hemoglobin, Gene, Phenotypes, Pain management.