Alao O O, Araoye M, Ojabo C
Niger J Med. 2009 Jul-Sep;18(3):326-9. doi: 10.4314/njm.v18i3.51208.
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the commonest genetic disease worldwide. Of the sickle cell control strategies, premarital genetic counselling is increasingly practised in many countries of the world. Knowledge of the citizenry of a nation about SCD constitutes an important variable that influences the acceptability, practice and success of premarital genetic counselling. A study of students of Benue State University, Makurdi was carried out to determine their current level of knowledge.
A cross sectional study involving 300 students of Benue State University, Makurdi; selected by a multistage stratified sampling technique, using self administered structured questionnaire, was carried out.
Virtually all study respondents had at one time or the other heard about sickle cell disease. Based on the criteria used for knowledge scoring, less than half of the students (48%) demonstrated good knowledge. Overall Mean Score Knowledge (MSK) was 4.65 +/- 1.65. MSK was 4.58 +/- 1.66 and 4.74 +/- 1.64 for males and females respectively; there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). However, having an affected relative suffering from sickle cell disease significantly influenced level of knowledge among study respondents (P < 0.05), but was not significantly associated with respondents knowing their haemoglobin phenotype. Only 141 students (47%) knew their haemoglobin phenotype. Level of knowledge about SCD did not significantly increase with age. Also, sex and religion did not significantly influence level of knowledge.
The knowledge about SCD was poor and only a few knew their haemoglobin phenotype. If sickle cell disease control strategies must yield any significant results, more education about SCD, especially among students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria is recommended. The use of persons with SCD as peer educators/counsellors should be explored.
镰状细胞病（SCD）是全球最常见的遗传疾病。在镰状细胞病控制策略中，婚前遗传咨询在世界许多国家越来越普遍。一个国家民众对镰状细胞病的了解是影响婚前遗传咨询的可接受性、实施情况和成功率的重要变量。对马库尔迪贝努埃州立大学的学生进行了一项研究，以确定他们目前的知识水平。
采用多阶段分层抽样技术，对马库尔迪贝努埃州立大学的300名学生进行了一项横断面研究，使用自行填写的结构化问卷。
几乎所有参与研究的受访者都曾听说过镰状细胞病。根据知识评分标准，不到一半的学生（48%）表现出良好的知识水平。总体知识平均得分（MSK）为4.65±1.65。男性和女性的MSK分别为4.58±1.66和4.74±1.64；差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。然而，有患镰状细胞病的亲属对研究受访者的知识水平有显著影响（P<0.05），但与受访者是否知道自己的血红蛋白表型无显著关联。只有141名学生（47%）知道自己的血红蛋白表型。对镰状细胞病的了解程度并未随年龄显著增加。此外，性别和宗教对知识水平没有显著影响。
对镰状细胞病的了解较差，只有少数人知道自己的血红蛋白表型。如果镰状细胞病控制策略要取得任何显著成效，建议加强对镰状细胞病的教育，特别是在尼日利亚的高等院校学生中。应探索利用镰状细胞病患者作为同伴教育者/咨询师。
