Individuals living with sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa face disparities in treatment and health care access when compared with those in other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) or high-income countries (HICs), according to findings published in Blood Global Hematology.
"This is the first study to compare the experiences of individuals living in sub-Saharan Africa, where the burden of sickle cell disease is greatest, with the experiences of those living in other LMICs and in HICs," said first study author Baba Inusa, MBBS, professor of pediatric hematology at the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine of King's College London.
"We found that, despite having the same disease, regional and cultural differences substantially influence how they manage their condition."