Pediatric sickle cell disease

Adherence rates for pediatric sickle cell disease vary across treatment type and medication. Adherence tends to worsen with age, with adolescents and young adults at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Suboptimal adherence to treatment can lead to a host of negative outcomes, including severe pain episodes, serious medical complications (e.g., infections, stroke, pulmonary hypertension), and mortality. Common barriers to adherence include forgetting, health status and beliefs, burden of regimen, socioeconomic factors, and healthcare system factors. Adherence may be improved through high-quality standardized assessment, use of both objective and subjective assessment measures, and engaging interventions that may integrate novel technologies.