New York study finds regional gaps in sickle cell disease hospitalizations

Sickle cell disease (SCD) hospitalization patterns vary across New York State, with New York City showing the largest share of hospitalizations and Long Island reporting the highest charges for care, a recent study showed.

In addition, longer hospital stays were seen in regions where access to specialized care may be more limited, data showed.

“Geographic differences in hospitalizations and outcomes for sickle cell disease point to the need for region-specific strategies,” Emmanuel Peprah, PhD, the study’s senior author and an associate professor of global and environmental health at New York University (NYU) School of Global Public Health, said in a university news story.