Nurse Scientist Looks for Answers to Help Young Adults with SCD

CorettaJ.Web Dr. Jenerette

Dr. Coretta Jenerette received word that her grant was funded by the University Research Council. Jenerette’s project is titled Using Actigraphy to Explore Relationships between Sleep and Pain in Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease.

Presently, little is known about sleep patterns in young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), a patient population that often has chronic pain and severe, life-threatening bouts of acute pain. Among patients with SCD, acute illness encounters and re-hospitalizations are highest among young adults age 18-30 years. The aim of this pilot-feasibility study is to obtain preliminary data to describe the relationships between sleep and pain intensity in a sample of young adults with SCD. Interactive voice response and wrist actigraphs will be used to collect study data. Dr. Barbara Carlson will serve as a consultant on the grant.