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ArticleQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2026

Humanistic and economic burden among caregivers of adults and children with sickle cell disease and recurrent vaso-occlusive crises.

Lauren Lilly, Duncan Brown, Nanxin Li, Jennifer Drahos, Melanie Calvert, Anthony Mason, Zahra Pakbaz, Farrukh Shah, Ashley Valentine, Bethany Franks and 1 more

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Article in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Lauren LillyVertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, MA, USA.
Duncan BrownVertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, MA, USA.
Nanxin LiVertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, MA, USA.
Jennifer DrahosVertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, MA, USA. jennifer_drahos@vrtx.com.
Melanie CalvertCentre for Patient-Reported Outcomes Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Anthony MasonSickle Cell Care Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Zahra PakbazDivision of Hematology/Oncology, The University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, USA.
Farrukh ShahBurjeel Medical City, United Arab Emirates, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Ashley ValentineSick Cells, Washington, DC, USA.
Bethany FranksPrime HCD, Knutsford, Cheshire, UK.
Idaira Rodriguez SantanaPrime HCD, Knutsford, Cheshire, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo describe the humanistic burden and economic impact among informal caregivers of individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) and recurrent vaso-occlusive (VOCs) across North America and Europe.

methodsA mixed-methods study was conducted with qualitative interviews in the US and UK and an online survey in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. The survey included CarerQoL-7D, WPAI:CG, and explored time spent providing informal care, out-of-pocket expenses, and health inequity. Interviews were analyzed using the Framework Method and survey data with descriptive analyses. Monetary values were standardized to US dollars.

resultsInterviews with 10 caregivers identified five key themes: (1) Need for a strong support network; (2) Providing constant care/attention; (3) Ensuring optimal care; (4) Major lifestyle adjustments; and (5) Impact on caregiver's emotional and physical wellbeing. 173 caregivers completed the survey. The CarerQoL indicated adverse impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with > 70% reporting problems due to mental health, difficulty combining caregiving with daily activities, and physical health. On average, US and European/Canadian caregivers spent 53.7 and 32.0 h per week providing care. WPAI:CG indicated overall work impairment of 52% and 42% among caregivers in the US and Europe/Canada. Average annual out-of-pocket expenses were $13,300 in the US and $4,050 in Europe/Canada.

conclusionCaregivers of people with SCD with recurrent VOCs experience negative impacts on HRQoL, work productivity, and out-of-pocket expenses. Policies addressing caregiver challenges are urgently needed, and improved access to emerging therapies may ease the burden experienced by caregivers and patients.

Indexed as

Anemia, Sickle CellCaregiversCost of IllnessQuality of LifeVaso-Occlusive CrisesAdultChildEuropeFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedNorth AmericaQualitative ResearchSurveys and QuestionnairesCaregiver burdenCaregiver outcomesHemoglobinopathyQualitative researchQuality of lifeQuantitative ResearchSickle cell disease

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.