ABSTRACT Introduction Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic genetic disorder causing severe pain, anemia, and systemic complications that negatively affect patients’ physical and mental well‐being. The aim of this global cross‐sectional study was to evaluate the relationship between oral pain medication (OPM) use frequency and health outcomes, emotional well‐being, social participation, and satisfaction with care among people with SCD. Method Data were collected via an online survey across five continents from February to September 2024. Results A total of 123 participants were divided into two groups based on OPM use frequency: weekly or more ( n = 62) and once or twice a month ( n = 61). Participants in OPM weekly group reported poorer self‐rated health, shortness of breath, more frequent hospitalizations, and missed school days due to SCD crises compared to the monthly group ( p < 0.05). However, use of treatments such as hydroxyurea and preventive screenings like transcranial Doppler was similar across groups. Emotional well‐being also significantly differed in the weekly group, with lower happiness levels, difficulty in emotional regulation, and reduced social participation ( p < 0.01). Satisfaction with medical care was significantly lower among weekly OPM users ( p < 0.001). Conclusion These findings suggest that higher OPM use is associated with poorer physical, emotional, and social outcomes. The results highlight the importance of comprehensive and multidisciplinary care approaches that may support the overall well‐being of individuals with SCD and utilize OPM as a relevant clinical metric to assess disease burden in SCD. Clinical Trial The authors have confirmed clinical trial registration is not needed for this submission.
Jain et al. (Thu,) studied this question.