Perceived well-being and mental health in haemophilia

ABSTRACT

The investigation of mental health among persons with haemophilia is mostly focused on negative and disease-related indicators. Literature however shows that psychosocial resources and optimal daily functioning can co-exist with chronic disease. The Dual Continua Model operationalizes positive mental health as ‘flourishing’, a condition comprising emotional, psychological, and social well-being dimensions. In the present study physical and mental health were comparatively assessed through positive and negative indicators in adults with haemophilia and a control group. Participants included 84 Italian persons with severe haemophilia (M_age = 43.44; SD_age = 13.04) and 164 adults without history of chronic illness (M_age = 40.98; SD_age = 12.26), who completed the Short Form Health Survey, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form. MANOVA and post-hoc t-tests provided evidence of worse general health, lower negative affect and higher psychological well-being among participants with haemophilia compared with the control group. Moreover, the percentage of flourishing individuals was higher among participants with haemophilia. Results support previous evidence suggesting that a chronic disease does not prevent mental well-being attainment. The identification of assets and strengths allowing people with haemophilia to flourish can be fruitfully used to design resource-centered interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Haemophilia
• mental health
• physical health
• well-being
• flourishing

Disclosure statement

L.N., A.B.A., A.C., C.C., G.L., G.S., P.G., M.G.M., R.M., and A.D.F state that they had no interests which might be perceived as posing a conflict or bias. C.S. received fees in order to partecipate to scientific boards, collaborations, congress or events sponsored by: Bayer, CSL Behring, Shire, Novo Nordisk, Sobi, Grifols, Novartis, Gilead, Pfizer, Kedrion. A.B. Sobi Shire Kedrion Roche Bayer. M.R.F. no conflict of interest at the time of the study. Since march 2018 medical advisor for Bayer Italia. A.R. has attended Advisory Board meetings of Baxalta, Bayer, Novonordisk, Pfizer, Shire. She also acts as a paid consultant for Baxalta, Bayer, CSL Behring, Kedrion, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sobi and received fees as speaker in meetings organized by Baxalta, Shire, Kedrion, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk and Pfizer  F.P. receipt of honoraria or consultation fees: Kedrion, LFB. Honoraria for participating as a speaker at educational meetings: Ablynx, Alnylam, F.Hoffman-La Roche, Shire, Sobi. Member of Advisory Board; Ablynx, F.Hoffman-La Roche, Shire.

Notes

1. Data are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Additional information

Funding

The study costs were entirely covered by Fondazione Paracelso using a free donation from Bayer Italia.