Contributions
The Mental Toll of Sickle Cell Disease on Black Women
Black women are the least likely population to report their mental health status as very good or excellent. Stress has been implicated in worse mental health and provocation of pain crises, particularly in Black women with SCD. Studies have shown that Black individuals respond well to mental health treatment when treated appropriately but may metabolize...
Racism Against Black Youth with Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobinopathy that significantly affects the quality of life and life expectancy of Black Americans. Due to America’s longstanding systemic racism, patients with SCD are often neglected and mistreated because of the color of their skin, and adequate healthcare is unattainable. Social attitudes and racism towards Black youth with...
Reducing Sickle Cell Disease Disparities
Nearly two million people in the United States carry the genetic mutation for sickle cell disease (SCD), and about 100,000 individuals suffer from the disease. Advancements in medical treatment for SCD have improved patient quality of life significantly. More than 90% of patients with SCD survive into adulthood. However, due to a lack of affordable,...
The Relationship Between Systemic Racism and Sickle Cell Disease in the U.S.
Complications from sickle cell disease (SCD) significantly reduce life expectancy to 38 years for men and 42 years for women. SCD is prevalent in patients with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Genetic engineering and biological research have paved the way for potentially curing therapies and supportive treatments. However, inequalities in the United States healthcare system make it...
Sickle Cell Disease and Risk Factors for Vasculopathy
Vasculopathy is a common complication of sickle cell disease (SCD) that can result in end-organ damage. Leg ulcers have been reported in 5-10% of adults with SCD. A lack of information exists about the geographic distribution of patients with SCD with reported leg ulcers. An analysis was necessary to determine how geographic location affects the...
Perceptions of Medical Racism in Sickle Cell Disease Care
It is a brutal truth that Black patients generally face worse health outcomes than their white counterparts, even when adjusting for insurance coverage and socioeconomic status. The majority of individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) are Black and suffer from health inequity. This study investigated this correlation by distributing a survey on race and healthcare...
Disparate Funding for Sickle Cell Disease vs. Cystic Fibrosis
Sickle cell disease (SCD) and cystic fibrosis (CF) are both serious disorders that are inherited recessively and can greatly impact health outcomes and quality of life. The majority of individuals with SCD are Black, and the majority of patients with CF are white. While SCD and CF have relatively similar profiles in terms of inheritance...
Sickle Cell Disease and COVID-19
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a serious condition that disproportionately affects Black individuals, affecting 1 out of every 365 Black Americans. This hemoglobinopathy puts individuals at risk of developing pulmonary complications. Because of this fact, it is believed that SCD can increase the risk of COVID-19. However, little research has been done to study the...
ADHD Found to Be More Prevalent in Black Children
A meta-analysis of 21 United States studies from 1979-2020 indicates a greater prevalence of ADHD among Black children than children of other races. This report sought to determine how race and other factors such as socioeconomic status relate to ADHD diagnosis, with the ultimate aim of providing guidance for culturally sensitive diagnosis and treatment. The...