Objections: In April 2010, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approved mandatory testing for sickle cell trait status for all student athletes participating in Division I sports. Childrens Sickle Cell Program at Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh offered genetic testing and counseling to all student athletes participating in Division I athletes at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University.
Methods: In addition, to assess the knowledge of sickle cell trait among the student athletes, along with the effect of genetic counseling, student athletes were asked to participate in a survey. A short survey was provided to the student athletes prior to their genetic counseling, with a short survey provided following the genetic testing (See Appendix A for IRB consent form and Appendix B for questionnaires).
Results: Between the two Division I programs at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University, 122 student athletes were tested of which, one athlete was diagnosed with sickle cell trait. Among the 122 student athletes tested, 80 participated in the surveys. Among those who participated, 57 (71%) were Caucasian, 16 (20%) were African American, and the remaining athletes were of mixed or other ethnic backgrounds. Prior to the genetic counseling session, 11% of the student athletes answered that they had never heard of sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait. Following the genetic counseling session, 89% of the student athletes had a good understanding of sickle cell trait, with 15% showing that they learned something from the genetic counseling session.
Conclusions: Based on the data obtained from this study, student athletes may not have a good understanding of the testing that is mandated by the NCAA. Therefore, genetic counseling is strongly recommended to all student athletes prior to the carrier status testing.
Implications for Public Health: Many issues surround the NCAA ruling mandating sickle cell trait testing. However, many are not focusing on the importance of the impact genetic testing has on an individual, particularly this age range involved. Genetic counseling needs to be considered when requiring these student athletes to undergo genetic testing for sickle cell trait.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PITT/oai:PITTETD:etd-04052011-152207 |
| Date | 29 June 2011 |
| Creators | Costanzo, Victoria Lynn |
| Contributors | Lakshmanan Krishnamurit, MD, Elizabeth Gettig, MS, CGC, M. Michael Barmada, Ph.D., Beth Kladny, MS, CGC |
| Publisher | University of Pittsburgh |
| Source Sets | University of Pittsburgh |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-04052011-152207/ |
| Rights | restricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Pittsburgh or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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