Attitudes and beliefs of sports medicine providers to sickle cell trait screening of student athletes. 2011

Kruti Acharya, and Holly J Benjamin, and Ellen W Clayton, and Lainie F Ross
Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.

OBJECTIVE To describe the attitudes of members of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) toward the new National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) policy to require all Division I student athletes be screened for sickle cell trait (SCT), have prior evidence of testing, or sign a waiver. METHODS Cross-sectional survey of members of the AMSSM electronic mailing list was conducted. Descriptive, McNemar, and χ2 statistics were performed. METHODS Internet survey. METHODS Of the 1765 AMSSM e-mail list members, 370 returned partial or completed surveys. METHODS Dependent variables included familiarity with the NCAA policy, support of universal or targeted screening programs, preferences regarding screening methodologies, and athletic restrictions or modifications for student athletes identified with SCT. Respondents' gender, race/ethnicity, and involvement as an NCAA team physician were independent variables. RESULTS Of the respondents, 76% were men, 85% were whites, and 53% served as NCAA Division I team physicians. Ninety percent were aware of the policy. There was greater support for targeted (76%, 267 of 353) compared with universal (39%, 137 of 353; P < 0.01) screening, with targeting based on race/ethnicity and sport. Respondents supported targeted screening of varsity and freshman athletes in all NCAA divisions, but most (88%) also supported waivers. Respondents favored using existing medical records (73%) or Sickledex screening (71%) methodologies despite concerns about inaccuracies (16% for each methodology). Most respondents agreed that there is discrimination in athletic participation and obtaining insurance. CONCLUSIONS There is lack of consensus within the AMSSM regarding the current NCAA SCT screening policy. Implementation must take into consideration potential discrimination.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008403 Mass Screening Organized periodic procedures performed on large groups of people for the purpose of detecting disease. Screening,Mass Screenings,Screening, Mass,Screenings,Screenings, Mass
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000078329 Workforce The number of people working or available for work or service. Human Resources,Labor Supply,Manpower,Staffing,Womanpower,Human Resource,Labor Supplies,Manpowers,Staffings,Supply, Labor,Womanpowers,Workforces
D001291 Attitude of Health Personnel Attitudes of personnel toward their patients, other professionals, toward the medical care system, etc. Staff Attitude,Attitude, Staff,Attitudes, Staff,Health Personnel Attitude,Health Personnel Attitudes,Staff Attitudes
D012805 Sickle Cell Trait The condition of being heterozygous for hemoglobin S. Cell Trait, Sickle,Cell Traits, Sickle,Sickle Cell Traits,Trait, Sickle Cell,Traits, Sickle Cell
D013178 Sports Medicine The field of medicine concerned with physical fitness and the diagnosis and treatment of injuries sustained in exercise and sports activities. Medicine, Sport,Medicine, Sports,Sport Medicine
D013334 Students Individuals enrolled in a school or formal educational program. School Enrollment,Enrollment, School,Enrollments, School,School Enrollments,Student

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