Effect of health education on the knowledge and attitude to sickle cell disorder and screening practices among school of nursing students in Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell disorder is the most important genetic hematological disease that affects people of black African descent. The years of young adulthood present a good opportunity for screening and counseling for this genetic blood disorder.

Objectives: To assess effect of health education and provision of free sickle cell haemoglobin screening on knowledge of sickle cell disorder, attitude towards sickle cell haemoglobin screening, and uptake of sickle cell haemoglobin screening among students of a School of Nursing.

Methods: Study design was a quasi-experimental noncontrolled study. Self-administered questionnaire was used for pre- and post-intervention data collection. Implemented interventions were seminar on sickle cell disorder combined with free sickle cell haemoglobin screening. The data was analyzed with Epi-info version 3.5.1 statistical software package.

Results: Respondents who participated in all the study phases were 104. Mean knowledge score (%) was high (80.9±22.8%) at baseline and improved significantly to 91.8±9.4% (p<0.001) at post intervention. 91.3% were willing to screen fiancée before getting married while 72.1% were willing not to go ahead with marriage if self and fiancée are carriers of sickle cell haemoglobin. Phenotype of the respondents that volunteered to be screened for sickle cell haemoglobin were: A (70.5%), AC (6.8%) and AS (22.7%).

Conclusions: Implemented interventions, seminar on sickle cell disorder combined with free sickle cell haemoglobin screening service yielded significant impact on respondents' knowledge, attitude and uptake of sickle cell haemoglobin screening.

Keywords: Sickle cell haemoglobin screening, health education, school of nursing