Knowledge, Attitude and Perception of Traditional and Religious Leaders on Pre-Marital Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in Sokoto

Sani Bako Abubakar,Ibrahim Abdulqadir,Muhammad Maiturare,Bello Arkilla Magaji,Nafiu Sanusi,Fatima Ibrahim

doi:10.5530/ijmedph.2019.2.10

Sani Bako Abubakar, Ibrahim Abdulqadir + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.5530/ijmedph.2019.2.10

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Abstract

International Journal of Medicine and Public Health,2019,9,2,36-41.DOI:10.5530/ijmedph.2019.2.10Published:June 2019Type:Original ArticleKnowledge, Attitude and Perception of Traditional and Religious Leaders on Pre-Marital Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in SokotoSani Bako Abubakar, Ibrahim Abdulqadir, Bello Arkilla Magaji, Nafiu Sanusi, Fatima Ibrahim, and Muhammad Maiturare Sani Bako Abubakar1, Ibrahim Abdulqadir1,*, Bello Arkilla Magaji2, Nafiu Sanusi3, Fatima Ibrahim3, Muhammad Maiturare3 1Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Uduth, Sokoto, NIGERIA. 2Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College Of Health Sciences, Udu, Sokoto, NIGERIA. 3College of Health Sciences, Udu, Sokoto, NIGERIA. Abstract:Context: Pre-marital screening has been proven to be an effective means of reducing the overall burden of genetic disorders like Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in the general population. Aims: To determine the knowledge, attitude and perception of traditional and religious leaders on pre-marital screening for SCD in Sokoto, North-Western, Nigeria. Settings and Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods and Material: Pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire was administered to 375 participants selected through multistage sampling method. Data on the knowledge, attitude and perception of premarital screening for sickle cell disease were obtained. Statistical analysis used: Data were analyzed with SPSS Version 20.0. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean age ± SD of the participants was 37.0±11.6 years and the majority of respondents were male 310 (83.1%), married 247 (67.1%) and had tertiary education 179 (50.4%). Good knowledge of SCD was demonstrated by 263 (70.1%) and positive attitude was shown by 259 (69.1%) while positive perception was received from 242 (67.9%). Age, marital and educational status were significantly associated with knowledge of SCD (p< 0.05). Knowledge of the SCD had great influence on the participant’s perception for pre-marital screening in the same way their perception influenced their attitude on pre-marital screening for SCD (p=0.01). Conclusion: The traditional and religious leaders in Sokoto metropolis showed good knowledge of SCD as well as positive attitude and perception on pre-marital screening for SCD. We therefore, recommend intensive public awareness programmes and implementation of pre-marital screening of SCD as well as utilisation of the community leaders as change agents to curb the menace of SCD. Keywords:Pre-marital Screening, Religious Leaders, Sickle cell disease, Sokoto, Traditional leadersView:PDF (177.29 KB)

Highlights

Pre marital screening will be an ideal public health approach to reduce the burden of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), especially in the northern part of Nigeria where shortage of manpower, inadequate facilities and ethical burden will hinder the acceptance of measures such as prenatal screening.[6]
Success of pre-marital screening for SCD and any possible benefit it might bring in curbing the menace of SCD in this part of the country would depend on its acceptance by religious and traditional leaders
This is because society looks up to them and entrusted the role of solemnizing marriages to their hands, so their understanding of the concept of pre-marital screening will influence any public health approach to prevent SCD in the society

Summary

Introduction

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is inherited from parents who are carriers of the sickle haemoglobin gene and has assumed a public health significance with millions of people affected worldwide.[1,2,3] Pre-marital screening provides an opportunity for intending couples to know their phenotype or genotype and be aware of the risk of having children with genetic diseases like SCD and adopt rational preventive measures.[4,5] pre marital screening will be an ideal public health approach to reduce the burden of SCD, especially in the northern part of Nigeria where shortage of manpower, inadequate facilities and ethical burden will hinder the acceptance of measures such as prenatal screening.[6]. This study seeks to determine the knowledge, attitude and perception of traditional and religious leaders on pre-marital screening for SCD in Sokoto, North-Western, Nigeria.

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Results

Conclusion