Sickle cell disease among Latinx in California

Jhaqueline Valle; Judith R Baker; Daniel Madrigal; Juana Ferrerosa; Susan Paulukonis

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0276653

Sickle cell disease among Latinx in California

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 27;17(10):e0276653. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276653. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Jhaqueline Valle¹, Judith R Baker², Daniel Madrigal¹, Juana Ferrerosa³, Susan Paulukonis¹

Affiliations

¹ Tracking California, Public Health Institute, Richmond, CA, United States of America.
² Center for Inherited Blood Disorders, Orange, CA, United States of America.
³ National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Charles R. Drew University, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.

Abstract

Introduction: After African Americans, Latinx are the second largest population affected by Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in the U.S. However, research has largely ignored how this devastating rare blood disorder specifically affects Latinx nationwide.

Methods: This study compared demographics, genotypes, primary insurance, and health care utilization among Latinx and non-Latinx Californians living with SCD, using data from the California SCD Data Collection Program (2016-2018) and newborn screening cases 2000-2017.

Results: Stemming from 6,837 SCD patients, 501(7%) were Latinx. Latinx with SCD (Lx-SCD) were statistically significantly younger than non-Latinx (NLx-SCD) counterparts. Within both groups, females predominated, with 70% being insured by Medicaid. Mean Emergency Department encounters were statistically significantly lower among Lx-SCD adults.

Discussion: Lx-SCD differ in age, genotype, and Emergency Department utilization, when compared to NLx-SCD counterparts in California. Latinx are now the largest racial and/or ethnic group in the US, and their presence in SCD population is expected to grow. Therefore, their specific demographic, genotypic, and health care utilization characteristics merit attention to inform policies and programs that will improve their health.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Anemia, Sickle Cell* / diagnosis
Anemia, Sickle Cell* / epidemiology
Anemia, Sickle Cell* / genetics
California / epidemiology
Delivery of Health Care
Emergency Service, Hospital
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Medicaid
United States / epidemiology

Grants and funding

FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s DD20-2003 Sickle Cell Data Collection Program (NU58DD000016) and by Networking California for Sickle Cell Care Program, a project supported by the State of California, California Department of Public Health as a part of SB-74 and the Budget Act of 2019. The findings and conclusions in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the California Department of Public Health, or the State of California. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.