A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in Qatif City, Eastern Saudi Arabia. This study aimed at assessing disease related knowledge among mothers of children with sickle cell anemia [SCA], to explore different stressors that confront them and their coping strategies as well as to identify which groups of mothers are especially prone to experience much stress. The study population was mothers of children aged from 1 to 16 years who had SCA and attending Qatif Central Hospital. A total of 146 mothers agreed to participate.
The results showed that only 18.5% had good level of knowledge, and those having poor level of knowledge constituted 20.5%. The mean total stress was moderately high [1.81+3.4]. The most stressful category perceived by the mother in the management of their children was disease-related category [X=2.34], then child, psychological, hospital, and family ending by financial stressors [X=1.2]. Those who have poor level of knowledge had the highest significant mean stress score [x=64.33], the reverse among those having good knowledge level. Older, illiterate, not working mothers who had big family size, more than one child with SCA, younger children, and low income had lower mean knowledge score.  Higher stress score was also found among older, illiterates, working mothers, who had polygamical husband, bigger family size, younger child, with more children with SCA, and lower family income. Confrontation was the coping mechanism used most, followed by acceptance. Varied coping styles were adopted by a considerable proportion of mothers to handle psychological stressors. The special stress coming from SCA child needs and characters led nearly half of the mothers to either main mechanisms confrontation by giving more care to the child or acceptance and praying.