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NIGER DELTA JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & MEDICAL RESEARCH

A Publication Of Nigeria Medical Association Bayelsa State Branch

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Archive | ISSUE: 153, Volume: Apr-Jun-2026

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH DISEASE SEVERITY: A SINGLE CENTRE STUDY


Author:Ikejiaku UP, Ezeuko LC, Chimah CT

published date:2026-Jun-07

FULL TEXT in - | page 39–47

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a major public health problem in Nigeria and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, with wide variability in clinical severity among affected children. Socio-demographic factors have been suggested to influence disease outcomes but evidence remains inconsistent.

Objective: This study assessed the socio-demographic characteristics of children with SCA and examined their association with disease severity.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 children with SCA attending clinic at Federal Teaching hospital Owerri, Imo state. Data on socio-demographic characteristics were collected using a structured proforma. Disease severity was assessed using standardized severity scoring system by Adegoke and Kuti. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26.0. descriptive statistics were used to summarize variables while Chi-square test were employed to assess associations. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: The mean age of participants were 9.31 ± 4.56 years. Males constituted 52.5% of the study population. The majority of participants belonged to the middle socio- economic class (67.3%) and most were diagnosed before the age of five years (75.2%). Overall, 71.3% of the children had mild disease while 28.7% had moderate disease severity. No statistically significant associations were found between disease severity and socio-demographic variables (p >0.05).

Conclusion: Most children with SCA in this study had mild disease severity. Socio- demographic factors were not significantly associated with disease severity suggesting that other biological and clinical factors may play a more important role in determining disease outcomes.

Keywords: Disease severity, Ibadin and Akpede socio-economic classification, Sickle cell anaemia, Socio-demographic characteristics.

Cite this article: Ikejiaku UP, Ezeuko LC, Chimah CT. An overview of the sociodemographic characteristics of children with sickle cell disease and its relationship with disease severity: a single centre study. Niger Delta J Med Med Res. 2026;5(2):39–47.

Keywords: Disease severity, Ibadin and Akpede socio-economic classification, Sickle cell anaemia, Socio-demographic characteristics,

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FULL TEXT in - | page 39–47

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