Locus of control, depression and quality of life among persons with sickle cell disease in Jamaica

Abstract

This study explored how locus of control (LOC), depression and quality of life (QOL) interplay in patients with sickle cell disease. One hundred and forty-three sickle cell clinic patients with consecutive clinic consultations completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control and Short Factor 36 (SF-36) scales as well as the Beck Depression Inventory. Participants in this study had higher scores on the “chance”, “other people” and “internal” domains of LOC than persons with a number of other chronic illnesses in a previous study. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that high scores on the “internal” domain of LOC were associated with better QOL and fewer symptoms of depression. Depressive symptoms were greater in persons with high scores on the “other people” LOC domain and in younger persons. These findings would suggest that it is possible that interventions which enhance internal LOC and discourage “other people” orientations might improve QOL and ameliorate depression among persons with sickle cell disease.

Keywords:

• sickle cell disease
• quality of life
• locus of control
• depression

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank O’Neil Lynch of the Sickle Cell Unit, University of the West Indies for his assistance with the statistical analyses.