Perceived Etiologies Responsible for the Increase of Sickle Cell Anemia in Biyem Assi Health District- Centre Region, Cameroon

Objective: The main objective is to elaborate on the cultural representation and etiological factors responsible for the prevalence of sickle cell anaemia in Yaounde. Methods: The study design used was qualitative during field work. Data collection techniques used were: Direct observation, in-depth interviews, life histories, case studies, focus group discussions and, documentary research. Content and thematic data analyses were used analyse data collected from the field. Moreover, theories like cultural dynamism, explanatory model and cultural interpretive theories were used. Results: Our findings revealed that, so many people in Biyem Assi District, are not aware of SCA and they are living in ignorance. They are not interested or do not bother to know their blood genotypes, blood groups and talk less of trying to know the origin of SCA. Most of the time, out of ignorance and unawareness of the disease when their children suffer from it and are diagnosed in the hospital that is when they get to know more about the disease. Moreover, some of the etiological factors responsible for the prevalence of SCA in Yaounde are: ignorance, lack of knowledge, lack of sensitization, endogamous marriages, informal marriages, failure to carry out electrophoresis test before child bearing and marriage, environmental factors, unwanted pregnancies, and incompatibility of couples. Discussion: Prince (2019) explained that, Sickle cell Anemia (SCA) is a disease or it is a group of blood disorder typically inherited from both parents, mother and father. It also occurs when a person inherits two abnormal copies of the hemoglobin gene, one from each parent. It has been scientifically proven that this gene occurs in chromosome. Based on the data collected from the field and the works of other authors who carried out research in similar domain, Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease which is inherited from both parents who carry the same Sickle Cell traits in them. They bear children who suffer fro