User:Lunathecat555/Sickle cell disease sandbox

Stigmas in the US

In the US, there are stigmas surrounding SCD that discourage people with SCD from receiving necessary care. These stigmas largely affect African Americans, since the majority of cases of SCD are in the African American population. People with SCD experience the impact of stigmas of the disease on multiple aspects of life including social and psychological. Studies have shown that those with SCD frequently feel as though they must keep their diagnosis a secret to avoid discrimination in the workplace and also among peers in relationships. In the 1960s, the US government supported initiatives for workplace screening for genetic diseases in an attempt to be protective towards people with SCD. By having this screening, it was intended that employees would not be placed in environments that could potentially be harmful and trigger SCD. However, in practice, this screening was discriminatory and allowed for employers to place restrictions on employees with SCD and carriers as well.

Furthermore, stigmas also affect access to treatment and medical care. People with SCD require comprehensive treatment to manage the disease and avoid further health complications. The transition between adolescence and adulthood has been shown to be difficult for children with SCD to obtain the necessary treatment for the disease. During this transition, youth are further endangered by multiple factors that can result in more hospitalizations and a growing distrust of the healthcare system. The distrust of the healthcare system is developed by racism in healthcare (See: Racism in Healthcare) towards African-Americans. In the 1970s, many publications by the NIH focused on SCD exclusively in African Americans and encouraged genetic screening for SCD. When Black women presented as being carriers for the disease, they were frequently encouraged by counselors to not have children. The government also did not have regulations on genetic counselors and many at-risk couples to have abortions, which was seen as an attempt to limit Black fertility.

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