SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.13 número2 índice de autoresíndice de assuntospesquisa de artigos
Home Pagelista alfabética de periódicos  

Serviços Personalizados

Artigo

Indicadores

Links relacionados

  • Em processo de indexaçãoCitado por Google
  • Em processo de indexaçãoSimilares em Google

Compartilhar


South African Journal of Child Health

versão On-line ISSN 1999-7671
versão impressa ISSN 1994-3032

S. Afr. j. child health vol.13 no.2 Pretoria Jun. 2019

 

BOOK REVIEW

 

Albinism in Africa: Historical, Geographic, Medical, Genetic and Psychosocial Aspects

 

 

 

Edited by Jennifer Kromberg and Prashiela Manga. Cape Town: Academic Press, 2018. ISBN (eBook): 978-0-12813317-0. ISBN (Paperback): 978-0-12-813316-3.

This book belongs on the shelf of every health professional who cares for or treats people with albinism. It is an unconventional book, and chapters describing the historical development of medical and social support services for albinism sit alongside the more conventional medical-style chapters. In addition, there are personal narratives describing the experience of living with albinism, as well as extensive cultural and social commentaries about albinism. It provides thorough and essential knowledge related to the holistic management of people with albinism.

The editors, Jennifer Kromberg and Prashiela Manga, have considerable experience in this field and Kromberg has spent several decades researching the medical and epidemiological aspects of albinism in southern Africa. The book contains 15 well-structured chapters: there is an emphasis on the psychosocial aspects of albinism (four chapters), genetic testing and counselling (three chapters), and the dermatological and ophthalmic aspects of albinism (three chapters). Most of the data and information contained in the book are derived from South Africa, but information about albinism from other African countries is provided when available.

For health professionals who do not manage people with albinism, the chapters describing the discrimination and stigma that people with albinism experience (including the threat of murder) are particularly insightful. A noteworthy strength of this book is the enabling guidance (ranging from advocacy to appropriate medical and genetic services) that it provides for healthcare professionals who want to establish services for people with albinism in resource-limited settings.

There are some minor criticisms: not all of the colour photographs were necessary to understand the content of the book, and there is some repetition of information. Overall, the editors are to be applauded for bringing this book to fruition; a solid foundation has been set for further editions that incorporate advances in albinism care.

 

Sanjay G Lala

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa sanjay.lala@wits.ac.za

Creative Commons License Todo o conteúdo deste periódico, exceto onde está identificado, está licenciado sob uma Licença Creative Commons