Knowledge of and attitudes toward heel prick screening for sickle cell disease in Saint Lucia.

Objectives: In the Caribbean country of Saint Lucia, umbilical-cord-blood screening for sickle cell disease (SCD) was the testing method that health care workers (HCWs) on the maternity wards of the hospitals preferred until the new heel prick (HP) testing method was introduced in the country in 2014. This SCD study sought to assess HCWs' knowledge of and attitude toward HP screening and also determine new mothers' favorability toward HP screening.

Methods: A total of 70 HCWs and 132 new mothers answered survey questionnaires in three hospitals.