High risk groups for sickle cell disease

The following ethnic groups of people have a clinically significant prevalence of haemoglobin S (1):

• African people, including North Africans
  
  
• African - Caribbean people
  
  
• African - American people
  
  
• people from Saudi Arabia
  
  
• Africo-Caribbean British people or any other people of African ethnicity from Central or South America
  
  
• people from Greece
  
  
• people from India
  
  
• people from southern Italy, including Sicilians
  
  
• people from Turkey (1)

Reference:

• 1. Ryan K et al. Significant haemoglobinopathies: guidelines for screening and diagnosis. Br J Haematol. 2010;149(1):35-49