Sickle Cell Disorder Case Study

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Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) (also known as Sickle Cell Disorder or Sickle Cell Anemia) is an inherited blood disorder where the red blood cells have abnormal sickle-shaped hemoglobin S (HbS) called sickle haemoglobin (National Heart Lungs and Blood Institute (NHLBI), 2015). The disease, according to medical sciences, is inherited from both parents as part of their genetic makeup and is usually caused by some abnormalities in haemoglobin which is a protein in red blood cells that conveys oxygen through the body. Whereas normal red blood cells are round, in people with sickle cell anemia, a defective substance in red blood cells changes the shape of the cells. The normal haemoglobin called haemoglobin A (HbA) is replaced by HbS which later becomes …show more content…

Onwujekwe , Chima, and Okonkwo (2000) showed that the average expenditure of each household per month on malaria treatment was $1.84, which accounted for 49.87% of curative health care costs incurred by the households. In a similar study, Russell (2004) found that direct malaria cost burden was 2.9% of household income per month. Studies in Africa also showed that indirect cost based on travel time, lost labour time for adults with malaria attack or those who have to stay off work to care for children among others, make up more than 75% of total household malaria costs. Malaria tends to reduce education funds capability and has effects on school attendance (Malaney, Spielman, & Sachs, …show more content…

SCD has major social and economic implications for the affected child and the families. Recurrent sickle-cell crises interfere with the patient’s life, especially with regard to education, work and psychosocial development (WHO). Sickle cell anemia, specifically, is a serious disease that can require frequent hospital stays. Repeated hospitalization for intravenous pain medication, antibiotic therapy and blood transfusions is undertaken to treat medical problems as about 1 in every 10 children with sickle cell disease. People with SCD may suffer abdominal pain, breathlessness, delayed growth and puberty, fatigue, fever, ulcers, among others. These patients often die early of overwhelming infection or as a consequence of acute or chronic damage to the body organs. Those with sickle cell disorder often suffer neglect and

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