Examining disordered eating and depressive symptomatology in adults with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD): Gender differences

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder characterized by distorted red blood cells that possess a decreased ability to carry oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body, primarily impacting individuals of African, Mediterranean, and South American backgrounds. The present study sought to examine the relationship between disordered eating patterns and depressive symptomatology by comparing self-identified gender differences in patients with SCD. Disordered eating was measured using the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-I), which encompasses four subscales including body dissatisfaction (BD), ineffectiveness (IE), interpersonal distress (ID), and interoceptive awareness (IA). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-I (BDI-I) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D). In a sample of 37 Black adults with SCD (30 female and 7 male), the results showed that women exhibited higher body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms in comparison to men (p < .05). Women with SCD simultaneously experiencing high incidences of body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms could impact their prognosis, psychological functioning, and overall health. Further research is needed to examine this issue and its implications.