{
  "abstract": "Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major public health challenge in Uganda, where up to 20% of the population in northern regions carry the sickle cell trait (SCT). We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study among 321 sexually active unmarried young adults aged 15–35 years in Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu City, to determine the prevalence and predictors of sickle cell screening uptake. Participants were enrolled through stratified random sampling and data collected using a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire; modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used for analysis. The median age was 21 years [IQR: 18–24]. Overall, 85 participants (26.5%) had ever undergone sickle cell screening. Favorable knowledge-scale scores were recorded for 176 (54.8%) and positive attitude-scale scores for 178 (55.5%) participants. Tertiary education was the sole independent predictor of screening uptake (adjusted prevalence ratio 2.89; 95% CI 1.98–4.21; p < 0.001). The most commonly cited barrier was lack of awareness of where to access screening services (52.1%). Despite critically low uptake, 78.0% of unscreened participants intended to be screened in the future. Structural barriers rather than individual awareness alone constrain health-seeking behavior. Youth-targeted education campaigns, integration of screening into community health services, and stigma reduction are urgently needed.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Daniel Kitamirike Bwamiki"
    },
    {
      "name": "James Nelson Okema",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-6365-5018"
    },
    {
      "name": "Samuel Ochola Lunyuta"
    },
    {
      "name": "Isaac Opaci"
    },
    {
      "name": "Micheal Angulo Abor"
    },
    {
      "name": "Grace Acomo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ronald Obal"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ivaan Pitua"
    },
    {
      "name": "Felix Bongomin"
    },
    {
      "name": "Francesca Akello"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d523zh2xetxz8.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41598-026-73925-6",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "d523zh2xetxz8",
  "issns": [
    "2045-2322"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-73925-6",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2716|Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7215034411",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-73925-6.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "Springer Science and Business Media LLC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d523zh2xetxz8.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
      "native_id": "10.1038/s41598-026-73925-6",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-73925-6"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2716|Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders",
      "subfield": "human-genetics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Uptake of sickle cell screening among sexually active unmarried young adults in Gulu City, northern Uganda: a community-based cross-sectional study",
  "title_text": "Uptake of sickle cell screening among sexually active unmarried young adults in Gulu City, northern Uganda: a community-based cross-sectional study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d523zh2xetxz8",
  "venue": "Scientific Reports",
  "versions": []
}