Orofacial Clefts: A Clinical Community Study in a Developing Country

Abstract

Aim.The study aimed at finding the types of orofacial clefts, reasons for delay in the repair of the deformity and medium through which patients and/or their relatives heard about the outreach program.Methods.This study was from 2009 to 2011 at two different study sites. The team visited various media houses and health facilities at each study site to disseminate information concerning the cleft outreach program. Patients and/or their parents who visited the hospitals were interviewed using a questionnaire designed for the study to retrieve needed information for the study. Patients were then examined and booked for cleft repair by specialists in the team.Results.A total of 61 patients were recorded from both study sites, with ages ranging from 3/12 to 54 years old, with a mean age of6.7±2.7(SD) years; while, male : female ratio was 1.05 : 0.5. Cleft lip only (52.5%,n=32) was the highest type of orofacial cleft recorded in the study. In terms of occurrence, complete cleft (63.9%,n=39) was majority; while, position-wise, unilateral cleft right (32.8%,n=20) was the highest. A significant (P=0.017) association between males and unilateral right cleft lips was identified. Lack of finance (47.5%,n=29) was the main reason for delaying in deformity repair. Also, information from physician (41.0%,n=25) was the major medium for information dissemination.Conclusion.Unilateral cleft lip constitutes most of the orofacial clefts in this study, with lack of finance being the commonest reason why patients delay in the repair of their deformity.