Knowledge levels of sickle cell anemia within the black community

Sickle cell anemia is one of the most common long term illnesses of black children. It is an incurable illness which is serious at any age but often fatal during childhood. Approximately one black person in twelve carries the sickle cell trait and the sickle cell anemia is thought to occur in one in five hundred births (44). Sickle cell anemia has been called the "neglected disease”. Until this year, there have been limited efforts to screen and educate the black community about the nature of the genetic disease. Since the disease is as yet incurable, prevention is the only present medical alternative. This thesis was concerned with the measurement of present knowledge of the sickle cell disease in a black community with the expectation that the findings would be of value in future program planning. The hypothesis of the study asked if people who came in for sickle cell screening tests, at a local Health Center, were significantly more knowledgeable about the disease than other groups of persons who used the services of the same Health Center , A questionnaire was administered to a total population of one hundred persons . Both of the sample groups were black and of a low socio-economic background, the results of the statistical analysis revealed that no significant differences in knowledge existed between the two groups. The hypothesis was therefore rejected. Findings of the study showed that the groups studied did not know the difference between the sickle cell trait and the sickle cell anemia; they were unfamiliar with the symptoms of sickle cell anemia, and they believe that people with sickle cell anemia do not live long. It was recommended on that basis of the study that massive educational programs be implemented in the community and the schools in conjunction with sickle cell screening programs and genetic counseling .