Who Is At Risk for Sickle Cell Anemia?

Sickle cell anemia affects millions of people worldwide. It’s most common in people whose families come from Africa, South or Central America (especially Panama), Caribbean islands, Mediterranean countries (such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy), India, and Saudi Arabia.

In the United States, sickle cell anemia affects about 70,000 people. It mainly affects African Americans, with the condition occurring in about 1 in every 500 African American births. Hispanic Americans also are affected; the condition occurs in 1 out of every 1,000 to 1,400 Hispanic American births.

About 2 million Americans have sickle cell trait. About 1 in 12 African Americans has sickle cell trait.