Abstract
Background
Sickle cell disease (SCD) constitutes a significant public health concern in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), affecting a substantial proportion of the population in the southern province of Jazan. The chronic and progressively incapacitating nature of SCD exerts a humanistic, psychological, and economic burden on the affected individuals and families. This study aims to assess this multifaceted burden on individuals with SCD in the Jazan region of KSA.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional observational study using a self-administered validated questionnaire among SCD patients seeking medical services in various hospitals in the Jazan region. The questionnaire included sections to assess physical health, pain, social life, psychological distress, and financial burden. Descriptive statistics summarised participant characteristics. Comparative analyses using Chi-square tests and T-tests were conducted to explore differences in demographic variables between respondents reporting higher versus lower spending burdens. These analyses were intended to describe observed differences within the study sample rather than to infer population-level associations.