Two-thirds of mothers of newborns with SCD live in counties with high, very high levels of social vulnerability
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, April 1, 2024 (HealthDay News) — The crude sickle cell disease (SCD) birth prevalence is 28.54 per 10,000 non-Hispanic Black newborns, according to research published in the March 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Mariam Kayle, Ph.D., from the Duke University School of Nursing in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues used state newborn screening program records during 2016 to 2020 from 11 Sickle Cell Data Collection program states to calculate the crude and race-specific birth prevalence for SCD.
Among 3,305 newborns with confirmed SCD across 11 states, the researchers found that the crude SCD birth prevalence was 4.83 per 10,000 livebirths and 28.54 per 10,000 non-Hispanic Black newborns. Among mothers of newborns with SCD, 67 percent lived in counties with high or very high levels of social vulnerability; most mothers lived in counties with high or very high levels of vulnerability for racial and ethnic minority status and with high or very high levels of vulnerability for housing type and transportation themes (89 and 64 percent, respectively).
“These data highlight the potential need to consider tailored interventions in high vulnerability areas to increase access to transportation, improve housing, and advance equity for infants with SCD,” the authors write.
Several authors disclosed ties to industry.
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