Tailored Depression Screen for Sickle Cell Disease
Official title: Tailoring Depression Screening for Sickle Cell Disease: A Novel Approach to Mental Health Care.
Funded at University of Houston · NIH-11287256 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, patient-informed depression screening tool designed specifically for people with sickle cell disease to improve accuracy and reduce misdiagnosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | July 5, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $445,168 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MD021293-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11287256 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with sickle cell disease who are experiencing or at risk for depression and whose care involves routine mental health screening.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without SCD or those not undergoing mental health screening may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
People living with sickle cell disease often experience pain and fatigue that can resemble depression symptoms, which makes standard tools like PHQ-9 less reliable. This project will bring together patients and clinicians to define how depression feels in SCD and adjust the screening questions accordingly. The team will test the revised instrument for consistency and reliability, ensuring it distinguishes mood issues from SCD symptoms and from anxiety or PTSD. If successful, the tool could help clinicians diagnose depression more accurately and guide better treatment for people with SCD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with SCD may receive more accurate depression diagnoses and better mental health care.
How similar studies have gone: Other condition-specific depression screens have shown improved accuracy when customized to a disease, but this work is novel for SCD.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ononogbu, Onyebuchi — University of Houston
- Study coordinator: Ononogbu, Onyebuchi
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.