Exploring Healthcare Utilization Events towards PalliativeTherapy in Sickle Cell Anemia

Abstract

Sickle cell anaemia, a hereditary blood disorder characterized by abnormal haemoglobin, poses significant challenges globally, particularly in resource- limited settings. Despite advances in treatment, access to care and resources remains a persistent issue. This study aims to comprehensively understand the healthcare utilisation events experienced by sickle cell anaemic patients undergoing palliative therapy. This study aimed to assess and evaluate healthcare utilization events related to palliative therapy and satisfaction in sickle cell anaemic patients. The specific objectives were to identify healthcare utilization events which was patient satisfaction and to examine factors influencing these events, including demographic characteristics, disease severity, and access to healthcare services. In this study, a cross-sectional design was utilized to investigate healthcare utilization events and factors influencing these events among individuals with sickle cell anaemia receiving palliative therapy who were selectively chosen through simple random sampling, ensuring a representative selection from the target population. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.0 software, expressing continuous variables as means and categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. The descriptive analysis of 209 participants highlighted a predominance of females (60.3%) over males (39.7%), with the majority falling in the 18-27 age group (94.3%) and holding a Bachelor's degree (77.5%). Unemployment was prevalent (72.7%), and most participants reported satisfaction with sickle cell treatment (91.4%). In both univariate and multivariate analyses, gender, educational level, employment status, disease severity, and access to healthcare emerged as significant factors affecting patient satisfaction. These findings ultimately emphasize the complex interplay of demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare access factors towards shaping patient satisfaction with sickle cell treatment modalities.