People with sickle cell disease

How many people have sickle cell disease??


Sickle cell disease is a global health problem. In the United States it is estimated that over 70,000 people have sickle cell disease. About 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year in America.(2005 Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.)


How long does a person with sickle cell disease live??


In fact, in the past 30 years, the life expectancy of people with sickle cell anemia has increased. The average life expectancy in America has improved. It is now in the mid 40 years of age range. (2005 Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.)


Can people with sickle cell disease live a productive life??
Yes. But like all patients with chronic disease, sickle cell patients are best managed in a comprehensive multi-disciplinary program of care and a strong extended support system having into account that they have very low defense r that they could get easierly otre kind of diseases or medical problems as concequences of the sickle cell disease.  (2005 Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.)


Are people of africa descent only group afected???

No. It is also present in Portuguese, Spanish, French Corsicans, Sardinians, Sicilians, mainland Italians, Greeks, Turks and Cypriots. Sickle cell disease also appears in Middle Eastern countries and Asia.(2005 Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.)

Sickle cell anemia affects millions throughout the world. It is particularly common among people whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa; Spanish-speaking regions (South America, Cuba, Central America); Saudi Arabia; India; and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy. In the Unites States, it affects around 72,000 people, most of whose ancestors come from Africa. The disease occurs in about 1 in every 500 African-American births and 1 in every 1000 to 1400 Hispanic-American births. About 2 million Americans, or 1 in 12 African Americans, carry the sickle cell trait.( Last Updated: May 5, 2005, Jennifer Bownas )

http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/about_scd/faqs.phtml#african
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/posters/chromosome/sca.shtml