A modeling study published in the journal Plos Medicine suggests that the global burden of sickle cell anemia (SCA) is increasing, and that public health interventions, particularly in low-and middle-income countries, are needed to help reduce SCA-associated mortality. Using demographic data and nation-specific allele frequencies for HbS, researchers estimated that the global number of SCA-affected births would increase from 305,800 in 2010 to 404,200 in 2050. Furthermore, the model suggested that Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and India accounted for 57% of these births in 2010, and that by 2050, rates of SCA-affected births would further increase in Nigeria and the DRC, but decrease in India. Implementation of basic health interventions for SCA may lead to substantial reductions in SCA-associated mortality among children under the age of five.
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