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. 2022 Sep-Oct:66:179-183.
doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2022.06.014. Epub 2022 Jul 8.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on access to online therapeutic education programs for children with sickle cell disease

Alizee Sterlin  1 , Mariane de Montalembert  2 , Melissa Taylor  3 , Sandrine Mensah  1 , Marie Vandaele  1 , Agathe Lanzeray  4 , Louise Poiraud  1 , Slimane Allali  5
Affiliations

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on access to online therapeutic education programs for children with sickle cell disease

Alizee Sterlin et al. J Pediatr Nurs. 2022 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a lifelong disease for which outcomes may be influenced by patients' self-care knowledge. Therapeutic education (TPE) is a patient-centered teaching instrument based on patient's adaptative processes and needs. TPE was developed in the Paris area by a pediatric health network using interactive face-to-face meetings. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the TPE modalities by promoting online training. Our aims were to evaluate the accessibility of patients with SCD to online TPE.

Methods: We compared sessions of TPE before and after the onset of the pandemic: the number of sessions, performed face-to-face or online, individual or in a group. We also recorded the number of participants in each session and their age, school level, and department in France.

Findings: We observed an increase in the total number of trained children, but participation varied greatly according to the geographical area of residence, with a decrease from 22.4% to 4.9% in the proportion of attendees living in the most socio-economically deprived French departments.

Discussion: Online TPE is feasible for patients with SCD but with unequal access according to socio-economic status.

Application to practice: Access to TPE needs to be improved for patients living in socially disadvantaged areas.

Keywords: COVID-19; Chronic disease; Self-care; Sickle cell disease; Therapeutic education; eHealth.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Available tools, possibly additive, for increasing self -care skills. SCD, sickle cell disease.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Number of therapeutic education sessions in 2018 and 2020 according to departments in France.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Number of children attending therapeutic education sessions in 2018 and 2020 according to departments in France.
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