Research Topic
The research topic of the study is parental perceptions of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) mandate intended to increasing general awareness of Sickle Cell Anemia. Increasing the awareness on Sickle Cell Anemia is important for NCAA considering that the disorder affects at least 3 million Americans and millions globally (Thompson, 2013). While individuals who have the disorder are able to live normal lifes without adverse health events which are related to the sickle cell, at times complications occur such as fetal loss, hematuria, splenic infarction, premature delivery, and hyphema. Of importance to note is that this disorder is inherited. According to Piel, Hay, Gupta, Weatherall, & Williams, (2013), annually, there is approximately 305,000 newborns globally that are born with the disorder. In relation to student athletes, individuals who are diagnosed with the disorder can experience exertional collapse in addition to exertional heat illness which have the potential of fatal medical emergencies. Consequently, NCAA has the made of creating awareness of this disorder among parents and their children with an aim of mitigating against any unforeseen deaths or complications.
Research Problem
In their study, Thompson, (2013) investigated the relationship between athletic participation and sickle cell trait as well as the input of NCAA. The researcher found out that there was need to screen young athletes because of the underlying complications that they might face. In another study, Tarini, Brooks, & Bundy, (2012) examined the influence of the NCAA sickle cell trait screening policy on prevention of sudden death and identifying sickle cell carriers. The findings of this study determined that approximately 2,000 NCAA Division I student-athletes had the disorder when screened using the policy and failure of making necessary intervention, these individuals would die due to complications within a period of 10 years.
Siddiqui et al. (2012) would also investigate the awareness of Sickle Cell among people of reproductive age. The participants of the study included young children, African Americans, and Dominicans. The findings of the study revealed that there were significant differences in the knowledge about Sickle Cell disorder. Parents proved to have more information that the rest of the participants. In another study, Long, Thomas, Grubs, Gettig, & Krishnamurti, (2011) conducted a research to determine the attitude and beliefs about Sickle Cell Education and Awareness among African-Americans. The findings indicated that African-Americans perceives the disorder to be serious and hence the need for screening as a significant intervention. In addition, the study outcomes revealed that barriers to awareness and education on the Sickle Cell disease were mainly familial, personal and societal.
Lawrence, Scott, Haywood, Robinson, & Mason, (2015) sought to examine the behavioural and social implications of NCAA sickle cell trait screening. The decision by NCAA was met with controversy among researchers, healthcare providers and advocates for sickle cell. Due to the limited information from the perspective of the athletes, Lawrence et al. (2015) embarked on conducting this study. The results of the study concluded that athletes had no knowledge of this particular disorder. Moreover, the study revealed that athletes had the fear that they would lose playing time if they were found to have Sickle Cell Anemia. In another study conducted in Nigeria, Ugwu, (2016) investigated the awareness and acceptability of genetic counselling and sickle cell haemoglobin among undergraduate students. This particular study concluded that students had a high level of awareness of the need for sickle cell screening but also concluded the need for more programs to increase public awareness. In another similar study, Faremi, Olatubi, & Lawal, (2018) investigated the knowledge students had on sickle cell disease where the outcome was the same as the previous study.
While numerous studies have been conducted in the recent past on how the screening policy by NCAA in relation to Sickle Cell affects young student athletes, there is no research conducted to examine the parental perceptions of the NCAA mandate intended to increasing general awareness on this disorder. Thus, the present study seeks to examine this with an aim of determining if NCAA efforts align with the expectations of parents with children who have tested positive for this disorder an aspect that will indicate the level of support.
Research Question
The research questions of the study will include:
• How do parents describe NCAA’s efforts to promote general awareness of Sickle Cell Anemia
• How can NCAA improve the awareness process of Sickle Cell Anemia?

Purpose of Study
The purpose of the present study will be to conduct a research on the parental perceptions of the NCAA mandate intended to increase general awareness of Sickle Cell Anemia. Conducting this study will be significant in increasing knowledge and understanding on how NCAA can carry out their mandate more efficiently for the benefit of affected children and their parents.

Methodology and Basic Design Overview
In the study to be conducted, a qualitative methodology will be adopted with a phenomenology approach. The aim of a phenomenological approach is development of an accurate, complete, clear and articulate understanding and description of a specific human experience in this case perception of parents on the NCAA mandate to create awareness on Sickle Cell disease. Using this approach will be critical considering it does not allow the investigator to impose certain findings as they emerge themselves. Further, the research model to be adopted will be empirical phenomenology (Christensen, 2017).
Title
Qualitative study on parental perceptions of NCAA mandate to increasing Sickle Cell Anemia awareness
Data Collection- Sampling Procedures
The population of the study will be parents of children having Sickle Cell Disorder. The sample will include a minimum of ten participants in order to be in compliance with Capella PSL policies. Before recruitment of the respondents, consent will be obtained through filling a consent form. The respondents will have to sign the forms provided. Information on children with the disorder will be sought from NCAA from individuals who underwent the screening. Recruitment of the respondents will be through a face-to-face meeting with the parents of children having the disorder. However, before that prospect respondents will be reached out for recruitment through email. Explanations will be provided to justify the reason for conducting the research. Participation will be on voluntary basis and no incentives. Potential participants could also reach the researchers via email or phone. Screening of the respondents will be based on whether their children tested positive to the disorder.
Data Collection Procedures
Data will be collected from the respondents through interview questions as the research instrument. The researchers also tasked with recording the conversations will conduct semi-structured interviews. Each of the parents will be interviewed separately at their convenience. After collecting the data, the recordings will be transcribed. This activity will be done while ensuring that transcripts are verified for accuracy. Coding will also be done for purposes of ensuring page number, interview number, correspond to the research question. Analysis of the data will be through thematic development that seeks to find similarities in the responses in form of themes.
Guiding Interview Questions
Semi-structured interviews will be conducted. This will allow the researchers to ask follow-up questions. The researchers will conduct a pilot study that will test the quality of the prepared question in answering the research questions. Some of the possible guiding questions include:
• Does your child has adequate knowledge on Sickle Cell disorder?
• Do you know that NCAA has a mandate to increase awareness on the disorder?
• Have you even been involved in awareness programs prepared by NCAA?

References
Christensen, M. (2017). The empirical-phenomenological research framework: Reflecting on its use. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 7(12), 81.
Faremi, A. F., Olatubi, I. M., & Lawal, Y. R. (2018). Knowledge of Sickle Cell Disease and Pre Marital Genotype Screening among Students of a Tertiary Educational Institution in South Western Nigeria. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 11(1), 285-295.
Lawrence, H. R., Scott, A., Haywood, C., Robinson, K., & Mason, M. (2015). Social and behavioral implications of National Collegiate Athletic Association sickle cell trait screening: The athletes’ perspective. Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association.
Long, K. A., Thomas, S. B., Grubs, R. E., Gettig, E. A., & Krishnamurti, L. (2011). Attitudes and beliefs of African-Americans toward genetics, genetic testing, and sickle cell disease education and awareness. Journal of genetic counseling, 20(6), 572-592.
Piel, F. B., Hay, S. I., Gupta, S., Weatherall, D. J., & Williams, T. N. (2013). Global burden of sickle cell anaemia in children under five, 2010–2050: modelling based on demographics, excess mortality, and interventions. PLoS medicine, 10(7), e1001484.
Siddiqui, S., Schunk, K., Batista, M., Adames, F., Ayala, P., Stix, B., … & Green, N. S. (2012). Awareness of sickle cell among people of reproductive age: Dominicans and African Americans in northern Manhattan. Journal of Urban Health, 89(1), 53-58.
Tarini, B. A., Brooks, M. A., & Bundy, D. G. (2012). A policy impact analysis of the mandatory NCAA sickle cell trait screening program. Health services research, 47(1pt2), 446-461.
Thompson, A. A. (2013). Sickle cell trait testing and athletic participation: a solution in search of a problem?. ASH Education Program Book, 2013(1), 632-637.
Ugwu, N. I. (2016). Pre-marital screening for sickle cell haemoglobin and genetic counseling: Awareness and acceptability among undergraduate students of a Nigerian University. International Journal Of Medicine & Biomedical Research, 5(1), 43-49.