Ethnicity Questions and Antenatal Screening for Sickle Cell/Thalassaemia [EQUANS] in England: A Randomised Controlled Trial of Two Questionnaires

Concepts allied to ethnicity are increasingly coming under question as legitimate variables for use in health research. A randomised controlled trial of two ethnicity screening questions for ascertaining risk of carrying genes associated with sickle cell and thalassaemia illustrates the challenges and limitations of assessing an association of social constructs and genetic statuses. Objectives . To evaluate two candidate ethnicity screening questions in antenatal screening programmes in low, mixed and high sickle cell prevalence areas, and to identify time taken in administration of the questions by use of the following measures: Proportions of respondents with missing ethnicity data and/or significant changes in ethnic/family origins upon re-interview. Numbers of carriers of clinically significant haemoglobin disorders missed by ethnicity screening questions. Time taken to explain screening question for sickle cell disease (SCD)/thalassaemia and obtain ethnic/family origins. Proportion of clients providi...