Sickle Cell Disease: Understanding Gene Therapy and Addressing Health Disparities Course
Sickle Cell Disease: Understanding Gene Therapy and Addressing Health Disparities Course is organized by OptumHealth Education (OHE).
Activity opens: 09/01/2021
Activity expires: 09/07/2024
Target Audience:
This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of case managers, counselors, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, physicians, PAs, psychologists, social workers, therapists and other health care professionals who treat individuals with SCD.
Activity Description:
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder caused by a gene mutation that leads to the production of abnormal hemoglobin that distorts red blood cells into a crescent or sickle shape. Complications of SCD are lifelong and can be life threatening. New gene therapies promise a potential cure for SCD by subtly altering the genetic information in cells. Health disparities and limited resources among individuals with SCD, particularly in low-income and rural communities, are challenging and can lead to limited access to SCD centers and worse outcomes. This activity will discuss the effects and complications of SCD, the prevalence of SCD in different racial and ethnic groups and the role of gene therapy as treatment. Health disparities and challenges in accessing specialized care will also be addressed.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
• Describe SCD and how it affects different organs in the body.
• Discuss the prevalence of SCD in different racial and ethnic groups.
• Describe the role of gene therapy (CRISPR/Cas9) as a treatment for SCD.
• Address health disparities among individuals with SCD related to their socioeconomic status, residential geographic location and access to SCD centers.