An Integrative Review of the Prevalence of Depression among Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD), a common hematological disorder, has received increased interest from researchers who set to discover whether individuals with SCD are at risk for depression. However, the prevalence of depression varies substantially between published studies. Therefore, two aims were identified in this critical review: (1) to summarize the prevalence of depression among children and adolescents diagnosed with SCD and (2) identify if disease severity predicts rates of depression within this population. Results from the 13 studies included in this review show the prevalence of depression was between 4%-46%. Pain predicted a higher occurrence of depression within this population.