Nnodu Obiageli E, Adegoke Samuel A, Ezenwosu Osita U, Emodi Ifeoma I, Ugwu Ngozi I, Ohiaeri Chinatu N, Brown Biobele J, Olaniyi John A, Isa Hezekiah, Okeke Chinedu C, Bene Benard A, Balogun Modupe T, Okocha Emmanuel C, Aneke John C, Lawson Juliana Olufunke J, Usman Abjah M, Diaku-Akinwumi Ijeoma N, Okolo Angela A, Israel-Aina Yetunde T, Jamda Mustapha, Aworanti Oladapo W, Piel Frédéric B, Adekile Adekunle D
Department of Haematology & Blood Transfusion, University of Abuja, Abuja, NGA.
Department of Paediatrics, Obafemi Awolowo University Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State, NGA.
Cureus. 2018 Mar 21;10(3):e2354. doi: 10.7759/cureus.2354.
Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major genetic disease that manifests early in life and may lead to significant morbidities. One of the health care services that have been effective in reducing the burden of SCD in developed countries is newborn screening (NBS) followed by pneumococcal vaccines, penicillin prophylaxis, and hydroxyurea treatment. Yet, in sub-Saharan African countries, where about 75% of annual affected babies worldwide are born, NBS programmes are largely unavailable. It is not clear whether this is due to technical challenges associated with setting up such programmes, or significant cultural and social barriers to its acceptance in such settings. Objective Our aim was to ascertain the attitudes to and acceptability of NBS in Nigeria among various socio-demographic groups including health professionals, undergraduate students, parents of children with SCD and SCD patients. Methods Data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of SCD and attitude towards NBS were collected using a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire from April to July 2014 across 15 health institutions and university campuses in Nigeria. Data were collected from 1,301 respondents across Nigeria. Results There was good knowledge of SCD as an inherited blood disorder. Although 86% of respondents (n = 1,119) supported NBS, there was a statistically significant relationship between support for NBS and age (p = 003), educational status (p = 000) and religion (p = 000). Conclusion This study suggests that there is a good acceptability of NBS across Nigeria. The main barriers to its use are likely to be financial and practical, rather than social or cultural.
镰状细胞病（SCD）是一种主要的遗传性疾病，在生命早期就会显现，并可能导致严重的发病情况。在发达国家，新生儿筛查（NBS）以及随后的肺炎球菌疫苗接种、青霉素预防和羟基脲治疗是有效减轻镰状细胞病负担的医疗服务之一。然而，在撒哈拉以南非洲国家，全球每年约75%受影响的婴儿在这些国家出生，新生儿筛查项目在很大程度上无法实施。尚不清楚这是由于设立此类项目存在技术挑战，还是由于在这些环境中接受该项目存在重大的文化和社会障碍。目的：我们的目的是确定包括卫生专业人员、本科生、镰状细胞病患儿家长和镰状细胞病患者在内的不同社会人口群体对尼日利亚新生儿筛查的态度和可接受性。方法：2014年4月至7月，通过一份经过预测试的半结构化问卷，在尼日利亚的15个卫生机构和大学校园收集了关于社会人口特征、镰状细胞病知识和对新生儿筛查态度的数据。从尼日利亚各地的1301名受访者那里收集了数据。结果：人们对镰状细胞病作为一种遗传性血液疾病有较好的了解。尽管86%的受访者（n = 1119）支持新生儿筛查，但对新生儿筛查的支持与年龄（p = 0.03）、教育程度（p = 0.000）和宗教（p = 0.000）之间存在统计学上的显著关系。结论：本研究表明，尼日利亚各地对新生儿筛查有较好的可接受性。其使用的主要障碍可能是经济和实际方面的，而非社会或文化方面的。
