Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T19:38:03.935Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Albinism in the South African Negro. III. Genetic counselling issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Jennifer G. R. Kromberg  and
Trefor Jenkins
Jennifer G. R. Kromberg
Affiliation:
MRC Human Ecogenetics Research Unit, Department of Human Genetics, School of Pathology, South African Institute for Medical Research and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Trefor Jenkins
Affiliation:
MRC Human Ecogenetics Research Unit, Department of Human Genetics, School of Pathology, South African Institute for Medical Research and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A sample of 35 South African Negro albinos and a normally pigmented matched control group have been studied for adjustment problems and attitudes towards this inherited condition. The results showed that although the albinos appeared to be as well adjusted as the controls, significantly more of the albino group had adjustment problems of a physical nature indicated by psychosomatic symptoms. Attitudes were found to be reasonably positive. One common local misconception was revealed: that albinos do not die but disappear or ‘vanish away’. There was very little understanding of the cause, mode of inheritance or the problems associated with albinism. It is concluded that relevant genetic counselling should be offered to the Negro albinos to enable them to understand their condition, its implications and the myths which surround it. Because albinism is so common in South Africa the education of the community in this connection is also desirable.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , January 1984 , pp. 99 - 108
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adorno, T.W., Frenkel-Brunswick, E., Levinson, D.J., & Nevitt-Sanford, R. (1950) The Authoritarian Personality. Harper and Row, New York.Google Scholar
Barnicot, N.A. (1952) Albinism in south-western Nigeria. Ann. Eugen. 17, 38.Google ScholarPubMed
Froggatt, P. (1960) Albinism in Northern Ireland. Ann. hum. Genet. 24, 213.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grant, I. (1975) More time on our hands. Bantu, 22, 21.Google Scholar
Gilbert, G.M. (1970) Personality Dynamics: A Biosocial Approach. Harper and Row, New York.Google Scholar
Goode, W.J. & Hatt, P.K. (1952) Methods in Social Research. McGraw-Hill, New York.Google Scholar
Hellman, E. (1971) Soweto: Johannesburg's African City. South African Institute of Race Relations, Johannesburg.Google Scholar
Hoernlé, A.W. (1937) Magic and medicine. In: The Bantu speaking Tribes of South Africa. Edited by Schapera, I.. George Routledge, London.Google Scholar
Kromberg, J.G.R. & Jenkins, T. (1982) Prevalence of albinism in the South African Negro. S. Afr. med. J. 61, 383.Google ScholarPubMed
Livingstone, D. (1857) Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa. John Murray, London.Google Scholar
Magnus, V. (1922) Albinism in man. J. Am. med. Ass. 79, 780.Google Scholar
Manganyi, N.C., Kromberg, J.G.R. & Jenkins, T. (1974) Studies on albinism in the South African Negro. I. Intellectual maturity and body image differentiation. J. biosoc. Sci. 6, 107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCall, R.B. (1970) Fundamental Statistics for Psychology. Harcourt, Brace and World, New York.Google Scholar
Sanders, J. (1938) Die Hereditat des Albinismus. Genetica, 20, 97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Triandis, H.C. (1971) Attitude and Attitude Change. Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
Vallois, H.V. (1950) Sur quelques points de l'anthropologie des Noirs. Anthropologie Paris, 54, 272.Google Scholar
Vernon, P.E. (1964) Personality Assessment, a Critical Survey. Methuen, London.Google Scholar
Woolf, C.M. & Grant, R.B. (1962) Albinism among the Hopi Indians in Arizona. Am. J. hum. Genet. 14, 391.Google ScholarPubMed
Woolf, C.M. & Dukepoo, F.C (1969) Hopi Indians, inbreeding, and albinism. Science, N.Y. 164, 30.Google Scholar