Sickle Cell Trait Testing Should Not Be a Player in NCAA Athletics: Examining the Media's Role in Disseminating Awareness and Information (original) (raw)

2018, Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology

There are 4 million people in the United States and > 300 million people worldwide with sickle cell trait (SCT). 1 Since sickle hemoglobin was first described in 1949, misclassification of SCT-associated complications has occurred regularly. 2 In 1972, the US Department of Defense developed guidelines for SCT testing based on published case reports of sudden death occurring among soldiers with SCT. 2,3 By 1985, restrictions for SCT soldiers were withdrawn due to a lack of evidence for adverse events. 2,3 In 2010, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-approved mandatory SCT screening for Division I athletes in response to lawsuits regarding SCT-associated deaths. 2 In 2012, the NCAA extended this policy to its Division II and III athletes. 2 Despite implementation of this policy, the NCAA has not adopted a uniform policy regarding genetic counseling and utilization of positive test results. 1,2,4,5 Although several media reports discussed SCT testing and its negative psychosocial consequences for athletes, there has not been a report analyzing if media outlets disseminate information from evidence-based sources. The American Society of Hematology (ASH), Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are all evidence-based sources that unanimously support unrestricted athletic participation for athletes with SCT. 1,2 We performed a retrospective, observational review to determine if media outlets cited evidence-based guidelines in The authors declare no conflict of interest.