IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v161y2016icp27-36.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Living with sickle cell disease and depression in Lagos, Nigeria: A mixed methods study

Author

Listed:
  • Ola, Bolanle A.
  • Yates, Scott J.
  • Dyson, Simon M.

Abstract

Sickle cell disorders (SCD) and depression are both chronic illnesses of global significance. Past research on SCD and depression struggles to make sense of statistical associations, essentializes depression within the person with SCD, and treats stigma as an automatic correlate of chronic illness. A mixed methods study (March 2012–April 2014) was undertaken with people living with SCD and depression in Lagos, Nigeria, examining depression-as disease (questionnaires); depression-as-illness-experience (individual depth interviews), and depression-as-societal-sickness (focus groups). 103 people with SCD attending an outpatients clinic were administered the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and 82 self-identified with some level of depression. Fifteen were subsequently interviewed about their illness experience. Their lives were characterized by being extensively subjected to vicious discriminatory remarks, including from significant others, negative experiences they felt contributed to their depression and even to suicidal thoughts and actions. Contrary to misconceptions of the relational nature of stigma, respondents recognized that stigma resulted not from their SCD but from assumed broken social norms and expectations, norms to do with educability, employability and parenthood. They recounted either that they successfully met such expectations in their own lives, or that they could conceivably do so with reasonable societal adjustments. Ten respondents with SCD and depression further took part in two series of three focus groups with five people in each series of groups. In groups people living with SCD were able to challenge negative assumptions about themselves; to begin to recognize collective social interests as a group, and to rehearse backstage, in discussions between themselves, social actions that they might engage in frontstage, out in wider society, to challenge discriminatory societal arrangements they held to contribute to their depression. To the extent that depression in SCD has social origins, then social interventions, such as anti-discrimination laws and policies, are key resources in improving mental health.

Suggested Citation

  • Ola, Bolanle A. & Yates, Scott J. & Dyson, Simon M., 2016. "Living with sickle cell disease and depression in Lagos, Nigeria: A mixed methods study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 27-36.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:161:y:2016:i:c:p:27-36
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.05.029
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795361630257X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.05.029?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Scambler, Graham & Paoli, Frederique, 2008. "Health work, female sex workers and HIV/AIDS: Global and local dimensions of stigma and deviance as barriers to effective interventions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1848-1862, April.
    2. Dyson, Simon Martin & Atkin, Karl & Culley, Lorraine A. & Dyson, Sue E. & Evans, Hala & Rowley, Dave T., 2010. "Disclosure and sickle cell disorder: A mixed methods study of the young person with sickle cell at school," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(12), pages 2036-2044, June.
    3. Nzewi, Esther, 2001. "Malevolent Ogbanje: recurrent reincarnation or sickle cell disease?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 52(9), pages 1403-1416, May.
    4. Link, Bruce G. & Phelan, Jo, 2014. "Stigma power," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 24-32.
    5. Atkin, Karl & Ahmad, Waqar I. U., 2001. "Living a 'normal' life: young people coping with thalassaemia major or sickle cell disorder," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 53(5), pages 615-626, September.
    6. Ohaeri, Jude U. & Shokunbi, Wuraola A. & Akinlade, Kehinde S. & Dare, Lola O., 1995. "The psychosocial problems of sickle cell disease sufferers and their methods of coping," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 40(7), pages 955-960, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Huda Al Raqaishi & Mohammad Al Qadire & Omar Alzaabi & Omar Al Omari, 2022. "Health-Related Stigma, Social Support, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Care Actions Among Adults With Sickle Cell Disease in Oman," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 31(5), pages 803-811, June.
    2. Adedokun Oluwafemi Ojelabi & Afolabi Elijah Bamgboye & Jonathan Ling, 2019. "Preference-based measure of health-related quality of life and its determinants in sickle cell disease in Nigeria," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Berghs, M. & Dyson, S.M. & Gabba, A. & Nyandemo, S.E. & Roberts, G. & Deen, G., 2020. "“You have to find a caring man, like your father!” gendering sickle cell and refashioning women's moral boundaries in Sierra Leone," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vellore Arthi & James Fenske, 2018. "Polygamy and child mortality: Historical and modern evidence from Nigeria’s Igbo," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 97-141, March.
    2. Katie Hail-Jares & Ruth C F Chang & Sugy Choi & Huang Zheng & Na He & Z Jennifer Huang, 2015. "Intimate-Partner and Client-Initiated Violence among Female Street-Based Sex Workers in China: Does a Support Network Help?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Kirk, Susan, 2010. "How children and young people construct and negotiate living with medical technology," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(10), pages 1796-1803, November.
    4. Davey, Calum & Dirawo, Jeffrey & Mushati, Phillis & Magutshwa, Sitholubuhle & Hargreaves, James R. & Cowan, Frances M., 2019. "Mobility and sex work: why, where, when? A typology of female-sex-worker mobility in Zimbabwe," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 322-330.
    5. Smith-Morris, Carolyn, 2017. "Epidemiological placism in public health emergencies: Ebola in two Dallas neighborhoods," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 106-114.
    6. Belinda Brooks-Gordon & Marjan Wijers & Alison Jobe, 2020. "Justice and Civil Liberties on Sex Work in Contemporary International Human Rights Law," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, January.
    7. Jansen, Natalie Anne & Saint Onge, Jarron M., 2015. "An internet forum analysis of stigma power perceptions among women seeking fertility treatment in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 184-189.
    8. Abel, Gillian M., 2011. "Different stage, different performance: The protective strategy of role play on emotional health in sex work," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(7), pages 1177-1184, April.
    9. Weckesser, Annalise & Denny, Elaine, 2017. "Re-working biographies: Women's narratives of pregnancy whilst living with epilepsy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 110-117.
    10. White Hughto, Jaclyn M. & Reisner, Sari L. & Pachankis, John E., 2015. "Transgender stigma and health: A critical review of stigma determinants, mechanisms, and interventions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 222-231.
    11. Lukachko, Alicia & Hatzenbuehler, Mark L. & Keyes, Katherine M., 2014. "Structural racism and myocardial infarction in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 42-50.
    12. Goldenberg, Shira M. & Strathdee, Steffanie A. & Gallardo, Manuel & Rhodes, Tim & Wagner, Karla D. & Patterson, Thomas L., 2011. ""Over here, it's just drugs, women and all the madness": The HIV risk environment of clients of female sex workers in Tijuana, Mexico," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(7), pages 1185-1192, April.
    13. Romppainen, Katri & Jähi, Rita & Saloniemi, Antti & Virtanen, Pekka, 2010. "Encounters with unemployment in occupational health care: Nurses' constructions of clients without work," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(4), pages 605-608, February.
    14. Ciribassi, Rebekah M. & Patil, Crystal L., 2016. "“We don't wear it on our sleeve”: Sickle cell disease and the (in)visibile body in parts," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 131-138.
    15. Frye, Victoria & Paige, Mark Q. & Gordon, Steven & Matthews, David & Musgrave, Geneva & Kornegay, Mark & Greene, Emily & Phelan, Jo C. & Koblin, Beryl A. & Taylor-Akutagawa, Vaughn, 2017. "Developing a community-level anti-HIV/AIDS stigma and homophobia intervention in new York city: The project CHHANGE model," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 45-53.
    16. Lindemann, Danielle J., 2013. "Health discourse and within-group stigma in professional BDSM," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 169-175.
    17. Bonnington, Oliver & Rose, Diana, 2014. "Exploring stigmatisation among people diagnosed with either bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder: A critical realist analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 7-17.
    18. Dyson, Simon Martin & Atkin, Karl & Culley, Lorraine A. & Dyson, Sue E. & Evans, Hala & Rowley, Dave T., 2010. "Disclosure and sickle cell disorder: A mixed methods study of the young person with sickle cell at school," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(12), pages 2036-2044, June.
    19. Heidi Hoefinger & Jennifer Musto & P. G. Macioti & Anne E. Fehrenbacher & Nicola Mai & Calum Bennachie & Calogero Giametta, 2019. "Community-Based Responses to Negative Health Impacts of Sexual Humanitarian Anti-Trafficking Policies and the Criminalization of Sex Work and Migration in the US," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-30, December.
    20. Barned, Claudia & Stinzi, Alain & Mack, David & O’Doherty, Kieran C., 2016. "To tell or not to tell: A qualitative interview study on disclosure decisions among children with inflammatory bowel disease," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 115-123.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:161:y:2016:i:c:p:27-36. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.