CONCLUSIONS
To summarize, youth with SCD face insurmountable disease-related
symptoms that often disrupts their ability to cope and engage enjoyable
activities. The current study found that the frequency in which children
and adolescents access the ER and/or require hospitalization predicts
their overall HRQOL. Further research may explore interventions that
assist patients in learning to cope with symptoms and to decrease their
need to access the hospital emergently.