This is a randomized, controlled, single-crossover, single-blinded pilot study of hypnosis for managing symptoms including pain and sleep disorders in patients with sickle cell disease. Subjects receive hypnosis (experimental intervention) during 4 weeks of face-to-face encounters with a physician trained in hypnosis. For 6 weeks following the instruction period, the participants perform daily self-hypnosis using customizable digital media. Participants in the control arm of the study receive face-to-face general sickle cell education of the same length and frequency as the treatment group hypnosis encounters before crossing over to the experimental intervention arm of the study. Primary outcome measures include patient assessments of pain frequency, intensity, and quality. Secondary outcome measures include interviewer-assisted assessments of psychosocial variables including depression, anxiety, pain coping skills, and health related quality of life, health-care utilization, and absences from work or school. To date fifteen patients have enrolled in this study. The study is currently open for enrollment. We expect to enroll a total of 50 participants.
