European Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Knowledge, Attitude and Uptake of Premarital Screening for the Sickle Trait Among Married Couples in a Semi-Urban Community in South-South Nigeria

Received: 31 March 2015    Accepted: 03 April 2015    Published: 14 April 2015
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Abstract

More than 24% of Nigerians are carriers of the sickle cell gene, while about 2% of all the newborns in Nigeria are born with the sickle cell disease. The disease is a lifelong cause of severe morbidity that often require prolonged hospital admission; even as the patients have 92% excess mortality. The prevention of the disease is therefore very important, especially in Nigeria whose contribution to the global total has been projected to increase. Premarital screening for the sickle cell gene is considered one of the best ways of preventing the sickle cell disease. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and uptake of the premarital screening among married couples in Choba, a semi-urban community in south-south Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used, with the data collected using structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire that was administered on married male members of the study community. A total of 290 questionnaires were administered and retrieved. The respondents had an average age of 30.55 ±4.1 years; majority (65.86%) had a tertiary education and they were all Christians. All the respondents knew about the sickle cell disease, while 84.83% were aware of the premarital screening for the disease. All had positive attitude towards the premarital screening, with 88.97% recommending that the screening be made compulsory for all intending couples. Most (72.76%) of the respondents carried out the premarital screening when they got married. The age, educational attainment and the religious denomination of the respondents significantly influenced the uptake of the screening (p-value > 0.001). A total of 9.00% of the respondents were of the same HbAS genotype as their intended spouses; out of which 21.05% went ahead and got married, citing as reasons the difficulty of jettisoning their spouses (25.00%); and the power of God to prevent a child with sickle cell disease (75.00%). The knowledge, attitude and uptake of premarital screening for sickle cell disease are high in the study, even as the screening programme is not driven by the government. The input of the government is however required in providing health education, genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis.

DOI 10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13
Published in European Journal of Preventive Medicine (Volume 3, Issue 3, May 2015)
Page(s) 49-54
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Sickle Cell Disease, Premarital Screening, at-Risk Couple, Christian, South-South Nigeria

References
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[2] World Health Organization. Sickle-cell anaemia: Report by the Secretariat. Provisional agenda item 11.4 for the Fifty-Ninth World Health Assembly held on 26th April, 2006. Geneva. WHO. A59/9: 1 – 5.
[3] Rees DC, Williams TN, Gladwin MT. Sickle-cell disease. Lancet 2010; 376: 2018–31.
[4] Williams TN, Obaro SK. Sickle cell disease and malaria morbidity: a tale with two tails. Trends Parasitol 2011; 27: 315–20.
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[6] Mgbor N, Emodi I. Sensorineural hearing loss in Nigerian children with sickle cell disease. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. 2004; 68: (11):1413 – 1416.
[7] Adegoke SA, Adeodu OO, Adekile AD. Sickle cell disease clinical phenotypes in children from South-Western, Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract 2015; 18: 95 – 101.
[8] Platt OS, Brambilla DJ, Rosse WF, Milner PF, Castro O, Steinberg MH, Klug PP. Mortality in sickle cell disease. Life expectancy and risk factors for early death. N Engl J Med. 1994; 330 (23): 1639 – 1644.
[9] Grosse SD, Odame I, Atrash HK, Amendah DD, Piel FB, et al. Sickle cell disease in Africa: a neglected cause of early childhood mortality. Am J Prev Med 2011; 41: S398–S405.
[10] World Health Organization. Sickle cell disorder in the African Region: Current situation and the way forward. World Health Organization Regional Committee for Africa. AFR/ RC56/17-2006.
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[12] Piel FB, Hay SI, Gupta S, Weatherall DJ, Williams TN (2013) Global Burden of Sickle Cell Anaemia in Children under Five, 2010–2050: Modelling Based on Demographics, Excess Mortality, and Interventions. PLoS Med 10(7): e1001484. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001484
[13] Abdel-Meguid N, Zaki MS, Hammad SA. Premarital genetic investigations: effect of genetic counseling. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2000; 6 (4): 652 – 660.
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[15] Memish ZA, Saeedi MY. Sixyear outcome of the national premarital screening and genetic counseling program for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia in Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med. 2011; 31: 229 –235.
[16] Omuemu VO, Obarisiagbon OE, Ogboghodo EO. Awareness and acceptability of premarital screening of sickle cell disease among undergraduate students of the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research. 2013; 12 (1): 91 – 104.
[17] Oludare GO, Ogil MC. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Premarital Counseling for Sickle Cell Disease Among Youth in Yaba, Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health 2013; 17[4]: 175 – 182.
[18] El-Hazmi MA. Pre-marital examination as a method of prevention from blood genetic disorders: Community views. Saudi Med J 2006; 27 (9): 1291 – 1295.
[19] Samavat A, Model IB. Iranian national screening programme. BMJ 2004; 329: 1134 – 1137.
[20] Federal Ministry of Health (Nigeria). 2003 National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey. Federal Ministry of Health Abuja, Nigeria.
[21] Fleming AF, Storey J, Molineaux L, Iroko EA, Attai ED. Abnormal haemoglobins in the Sudan savanna of Nigeria. I. Prevalence of haemoglobins and relationships between sickle cell trait, malaria and survival. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 1979; 73: 161 – 172.
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Author Information
  • Department of Medical Services, University of Education, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

  • Department of Family Medicine, Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri - Bayelsa State, Nigeria

  • Department of Community Medicine, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

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  • APA Style

    Precious Kalamba Gbeneol, Seiyefa Funakpa Brisibe, Best Ordinioha. (2015). Knowledge, Attitude and Uptake of Premarital Screening for the Sickle Trait Among Married Couples in a Semi-Urban Community in South-South Nigeria. European Journal of Preventive Medicine, 3(3), 49-54. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13

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    Precious Kalamba Gbeneol; Seiyefa Funakpa Brisibe; Best Ordinioha. Knowledge, Attitude and Uptake of Premarital Screening for the Sickle Trait Among Married Couples in a Semi-Urban Community in South-South Nigeria. Eur. J. Prev. Med. 2015, 3(3), 49-54. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13

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    AMA Style

    Precious Kalamba Gbeneol, Seiyefa Funakpa Brisibe, Best Ordinioha. Knowledge, Attitude and Uptake of Premarital Screening for the Sickle Trait Among Married Couples in a Semi-Urban Community in South-South Nigeria. Eur J Prev Med. 2015;3(3):49-54. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13,
      author = {Precious Kalamba Gbeneol and Seiyefa Funakpa Brisibe and Best Ordinioha},
      title = {Knowledge, Attitude and Uptake of Premarital Screening for the Sickle Trait Among Married Couples in a Semi-Urban Community in South-South Nigeria},
      journal = {European Journal of Preventive Medicine},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {49-54},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ejpm.20150303.13},
      abstract = {More than 24% of Nigerians are carriers of the sickle cell gene, while about 2% of all the newborns in Nigeria are born with the sickle cell disease. The disease is a lifelong cause of severe morbidity that often require prolonged hospital admission; even as the patients have 92% excess mortality. The prevention of the disease is therefore very important, especially in Nigeria whose contribution to the global total has been projected to increase. Premarital screening for the sickle cell gene is considered one of the best ways of preventing the sickle cell disease. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and uptake of the premarital screening among married couples in Choba, a semi-urban community in south-south Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used, with the data collected using structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire that was administered on married male members of the study community. A total of 290 questionnaires were administered and retrieved. The respondents had an average age of 30.55 ±4.1 years; majority (65.86%) had a tertiary education and they were all Christians. All the respondents knew about the sickle cell disease, while 84.83% were aware of the premarital screening for the disease. All had positive attitude towards the premarital screening, with 88.97% recommending that the screening be made compulsory for all intending couples. Most (72.76%) of the respondents carried out the premarital screening when they got married. The age, educational attainment and the religious denomination of the respondents significantly influenced the uptake of the screening (p-value > 0.001). A total of 9.00% of the respondents were of the same HbAS genotype as their intended spouses; out of which 21.05% went ahead and got married, citing as reasons the difficulty of jettisoning their spouses (25.00%); and the power of God to prevent a child with sickle cell disease (75.00%). The knowledge, attitude and uptake of premarital screening for sickle cell disease are high in the study, even as the screening programme is not driven by the government. The input of the government is however required in providing health education, genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Knowledge, Attitude and Uptake of Premarital Screening for the Sickle Trait Among Married Couples in a Semi-Urban Community in South-South Nigeria
    AU  - Precious Kalamba Gbeneol
    AU  - Seiyefa Funakpa Brisibe
    AU  - Best Ordinioha
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    T2  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JF  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JO  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
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    EP  - 54
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8230
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13
    AB  - More than 24% of Nigerians are carriers of the sickle cell gene, while about 2% of all the newborns in Nigeria are born with the sickle cell disease. The disease is a lifelong cause of severe morbidity that often require prolonged hospital admission; even as the patients have 92% excess mortality. The prevention of the disease is therefore very important, especially in Nigeria whose contribution to the global total has been projected to increase. Premarital screening for the sickle cell gene is considered one of the best ways of preventing the sickle cell disease. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and uptake of the premarital screening among married couples in Choba, a semi-urban community in south-south Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used, with the data collected using structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire that was administered on married male members of the study community. A total of 290 questionnaires were administered and retrieved. The respondents had an average age of 30.55 ±4.1 years; majority (65.86%) had a tertiary education and they were all Christians. All the respondents knew about the sickle cell disease, while 84.83% were aware of the premarital screening for the disease. All had positive attitude towards the premarital screening, with 88.97% recommending that the screening be made compulsory for all intending couples. Most (72.76%) of the respondents carried out the premarital screening when they got married. The age, educational attainment and the religious denomination of the respondents significantly influenced the uptake of the screening (p-value > 0.001). A total of 9.00% of the respondents were of the same HbAS genotype as their intended spouses; out of which 21.05% went ahead and got married, citing as reasons the difficulty of jettisoning their spouses (25.00%); and the power of God to prevent a child with sickle cell disease (75.00%). The knowledge, attitude and uptake of premarital screening for sickle cell disease are high in the study, even as the screening programme is not driven by the government. The input of the government is however required in providing health education, genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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