Prenatal Diagnosis: Appraisal Of Awareness And Utlization Among Health Workers In South Western, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: To appraise the level of awareness about prenatal diagnosis among health workers in southwestern Nigeria and its utilization.

Methodology: Questionnaires were administered to 270% were in randomly selected from private and public health institution in south western Nigeria.

Result: The distribution of health workers showed that 6.3.7% were in public and 36.7% were in private health institutions. Generally, majority (55.5%) were aware of prenatal diagnosis. Only 95 (35.2%) respondents were aware of the existence of a prenatal diagnosis unit in Nigeria. The present level of awareness was considered inadequate by 195 (72.2)% respondents. Major ways of improving the awareness and utilization were through its incorporation into undergraduate training curriculum (31.5%) and academic programme (23.1%). Majority (78.2%) of health workers have never referred patients for prenatal diagnosis in Nigeria. Low level of awareness (48.0%) and high cost of service (28.0%) were the constraints most frequently identified.

Conclusion: The awareness of prenatal diagnosis among health workers in south western Nigeria is grossly inadequate. Similarly, its utilization is poor. Ways of improving on this is suggested.

KEY WORDS: Prenatal diagnosis (PND), awareness, utilization

Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol.6(1) 2003: 46-48