Objectives: To describe the risky behaviours of Jamaican teens with sickle cell disease (SCD) and compare them to a national sample of Jamaican youth.
Methods: One hundred twenty two SCD adolescents, 15-19 years old, completed the standardized questionnaire used in the Jamaican Youth Risk and Resiliency Behaviour Survey (JYRRBS), which was a nationally representative survey of 1317 Jamaican youths. Information was obtained on socio-demographics, smoking, alcohol use, and sexual activity. Secondary data from the JYRRBS were extracted to measure the difference in risky behaviours between the groups.
Results: Almost 50% of SCD and 58% of national teens reported having had sexual intercourse. More SCD teens used alcohol (77.7% vs. 60.7%; P value = 0.001). Risky behaviours tended to coexist and living with a parent (odds ratio: 0.62, P value <0.01) and currently attending school (odds ratio: 0.43, P value <0.001) lowered the likelihood of having had sex.
Discussion: SCD teens engage in many risky behaviours and health care professionals should screen and counsel them at each visit.
Keywords: Adolescents; Chronic illness; Jamaica; Risk behaviours; Sickle cell disease.