Google
Trusted Resources: Evidence & Education
Scientific literature and patient education texts
When Actions Speak Louder Than Words – Racism and Sickle Cell Disease
source: The New England Journal Of Medicine
year: 2020
authors: Alexandra Power-Hays, Patrick T. McGann
summary/abstract:SCD is a life-threatening, inherited blood disorder, affecting more than 100,000 Americans. Painful vaso-occlusive crises, the hallmark of SCD, result in substantial suffering and lead to associated stigma. Without adequate treatment, SCD affects all organs and is associated with decreased quality of life and a shortened life span. Among the dozens of conditions that are screened for in state newborn-screening programs, SCD is the most commonly detected condition, regardless of ethnicity. It is thus important to recognize SCD as a common and important medical condition among Americans, and not “just Black Americans.”
The causative mutation in SCD primarily arose on the African continent because of the protective effect of the carrier state against malaria, so most patients with SCD have a shared African ancestry. Although SCD is a global disorder affecting people of all races, in the United States, as a direct result of the transatlantic slave trade, nearly all patients with SCD are Black. This fact would be mere medical trivia if we did not live in such a highly racialized society. Unfortunately, the social construct of race in America requires the majority of patients with SCD not only to face the consequences of a serious health condition, but also to navigate a society in which the color of their skin is often an unfair disadvantage.
organization: Boston Children's Hospital, USA; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, USADOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2022125
read more
+myBinderRelated Content
-
Genetics of sickle cell diseaseSickle cell disease is inherited from pa...
-
Sickle Cell Trait, Disease Linked With Faster Kidney Function Decline in African American PatientsSickle-cell trait (SCT) and disease (SCD...
-
Sickle cell gene linked to elevated risk of developing kidney failureNew research indicates that being born w...
-
How One Child’s Sickle Cell Mutation Helped Protect the World From MalariaThousands of years ago, a special child ...
-
Environmental, genetic factors may predict longevity in sickle cell diseaseA case series of individuals with sickle...
-
‘Every Time It’s A Battle’: In Excruciating Pain, Sickle Cell Patients Are Shunted AsideAmy Mason had toughed it out for hours o...
-
Living With Sickle Cell: ‘I Don’t Know What It Means to Be Without Pain’Once a month, she undergoes a grueling p...
To improve your experience on this site, we use cookies. This includes cookies essential for the basic functioning of our website, cookies for analytics purposes, and cookies enabling us to personalize site content. By clicking on 'Accept' or any content on this site, you agree that cookies can be placed. You may adjust your browser's cookie settings to suit your preferences. More Information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
Powered by
Support for this site is provided by
This platform is made possible through a partnership with the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) and its member organizations. SCDAA's mission is to advocate for people affected by sickle cell conditions and empower community-based organizations to maximize quality of life and raise public consciousness while advancing the search for a universal cure.