Integrating the teaching of sickle cell anemia into the curriculum of the Cincinnati public school system.

In an effort to determine the impact of one aspect of the Cincinnati Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center's educational program, a study of the level of knowledge of sickle cell facts by elementary and secondary school students in the Cincinnati public school system was conducted. An underlying assumption of this study was that a specially adapted sickle cell teaching curriculum in conjunction with in-service training for science teachers by sickle cell education staff was effective and practical. The study provided support for this assumption and has important implications for educating the general public about sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. This study was undertaken during the 1975-1976 school year, and has subsequently led to the adoption of this sickle cell teaching curriculum by the Cincinnati Board of Education.