Awareness of Sickle Cell Disease amongst Mothers of Under-Fives in Ekosodin community, Edo state, Nigeria.

Abstract

Awareness of phenotypes of Sickle Cell Disease (CSD) in communities is low. A community survey to establish the knowledge of SCD among mothers of under-five children form Ekosodin community, edo state, Nigeria was therefor condicted to improve the situation. to determine mothers' knowledge of SCD and their haemoglobin phenotypes and those of their spouses/partners. A descriptive and cross-sectional study involving 83 mothers of under-five children from Ekosodin community was carried out between April and June 2007. A detailed questionnaire on knowledge of SCD and socio-demographics, awareness of their haemoglobin phenotypes and those of their spouses was administered to the mothers. Eighteen(21.7%) mothers interviewed had a prior knowledge of their haemoglobin phenotypes. Thirty-eight(45,.8%) of the mothers had not heard of "genotype testing', sixty-two(74.7%) mothers claimed to have heard of children popularly referred to as "sicklers" while 33(53.2%) of them knew that the condition is acquired when both parents are carriers of the sickle cell gene. Though not statistically significant, knowledge of the disease is better among the more educated mothers (F = 1.345, p=0.766). The risk of procreation of children with sickle cell disease associated with the mothers' unawareness of their haemoglobin phenotypes remains real in our communities. There is need for education fo the public, using the mass media and health talks in health facilitie, to enlighten mothers on the disease and ancourage routine screening tests so that they can be aware of their haemoglobin phenotypes and thus be informed when choosing partners.

Keywords: Sickle Cell Disease Awareness, mothers of under-fives, Nigeria