Improving Emergency Providers' Attitudes Toward Sickle Cell Patients in Pain.

Background: Provider biases and negative attitudes are recognized barriers to optimal pain management in sickle cell disease, particularly in the emergency department (ED).

Measures: This prospective cohort measures preintervention and postintervention providers' attitudes toward patients with sickle pain crises using a validated survey instrument.

Intervention: ED providers viewed an eight-minute online video that illustrated challenges in sickle cell pain management, perspectives of patients and providers, as well as misconceptions and stereotypes of which to be wary.

Outcomes: Ninety-six ED providers were enrolled. Negative attitude scoring decreased, with a mean difference -11.5 from baseline, and positive attitudes improved, with a mean difference +10. Endorsement of red-flag behaviors similarly decreased (mean difference -12.8). Results were statistically significant and sustained on repeat testing three months after intervention.

Conclusions/lessons Learned: Brief video-based educational interventions can improve emergency providers' attitudes toward patients with sickle pain crises, potentially curtailing pain crises early, improving health outcomes and patient satisfaction scores.