The Uterine Fibroid Disease Burden in a Tertiary Care Setting in Ghana: Prevalence, Cost, and Policy Implications [7C

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Over 20,000 publications examine uterine fibroids, however only few originate from West Africa. More research from this region is warranted because African-American women, many with ethnic origins to this region, are three times more likely to develop fibroids than other races in the United States. METHODS: This study was conducted through the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. It examined the prevalence, cost, and policy implications of fibroids through a retrospective chart review of all 656 women reporting from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017. The study divided women into two categories based on admission diagnoses: fibroid and non-fibroid. RESULTS: The results highlight the prevalence of fibroids given that 175 women (26.68%) were fibroid, 431 women (65.70%) were non-fibroid, 49 women (7.47%) were excluded due to ambivalent admission diagnoses, and one woman (0.15%) had no admission diagnosis. There were no significant differences within key demographics such as religion, occupation, and marital status. In addition, 78% of fibroid underwent surgical treatment compared to 64% of non-fibroid. After surgery, most women stayed 1 week (77.21% fibroid vs 77.26% non-fibroid), however within that week, 94.3% fibroid vs 50% non-fibroid stayed 4-7 days. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the high disease burden of fibroids in Ghana due to the prevalence and likely increased medical cost given the amount of surgical treatment and length of stay. Policy implications to consider include further research, establishment of a robust database, and screening protocols.