Sickle-Cell Anemia Is a Disease That Alters the Structure of Hemoglobin

question 19

Essay

Sickle-cell anemia is a disease that alters the structure of hemoglobin, and in turn, can cause severe health problems in individuals if left untreated. The disease is expressed in homozygous recessive individuals, whereas the heterozygous condition usually does not result in any symptoms of the disease. Sickle-cell anemia primarily affects Africans and Caucasians of Mediterranean descent. Typically, when a disease occurs only in the homozygous recessive condition, the incidence of the gene in the population is predicted to decline overtime, particularly when it can be detected either phenotypically or by genetic testing. In East Africa, the disease still occurs in about 40% of the population. Give an explanation for why the incidence of the disease has remained so high in African populations.

---

Definitions:

Children's Thinking

A term referring to the development and progression of cognitive abilities in children, including problem-solving, understanding, and learning processes.

Samoan And Vanuatu Children

Refers to young individuals from the Pacific Island nations of Samoa and Vanuatu, each having unique cultural and societal contexts.

Delayed Development

A slower than typical progression in the physical, cognitive, emotional, or social growth of a child.

South Pacific

A geographic region encompassing the southern part of the Pacific Ocean, including islands and countries like Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa.