ABSTRACT
Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) has multisystemic manifestations and is associated with severe morbidity and high mortality. It commonly affects growth leading to wasting and stunting. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the influence of socioeconomic status on the nutritional status using anthropometric measurements and steady-state hemoglobin; of children with homozygous SCA; aged 1 year to 10 years in steady state at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving 100 children with SCA and 100 age-; sex-; and social class-matched controls that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Social class was assessed using educational attainment and occupation of parents. Hemoglobin concentration was determined using the oxy-hemoglobin method. Results: This study demonstrated a significantly lower mean weight and weight-for-height in the SCA patients than those of controls (P 0.001). By contrast; this study did not demonstrate any statistical significant difference in the mean height and mean body mass index of SCA patients and controls (P 0.1). However; SCA patients had significantly lower values than controls in each of the social classes. Conclusion: Poor socioeconomic status has an adverse effect on the nutritional status and hemoglobin of SCA patients
Subject(s)
Anemia, Sickle Cell , Hemoglobins , Lakes , Nigeria , Nutritional Status , PatientsABSTRACT
Despite their high levels of knowledge about HIV and AIDS; young people ages 15-24 years in South Africa remain disproportionately affected by the epidemic. Young people's continued susceptibility to HIV infection has been consistently linked to intractable higher-risk sexual behaviours. This paper uses multivariate techniques and secondary data from two nationally representative surveys to illuminate individual and socio-structural factors that play a significant role in youths' continued engagement in higher-risk behaviour; despite their high awareness about HIV and AIDS. The findings show that notwithstanding progress in terms of increased condom use and reduced incidence of other sexually transmitted infections; the average age of sexual debut remains low; multiple sexual partnerships are prevalent; and inconsistent condom use is widespread among young people. Factors significantly associated with these risk behaviours occur at the individual and structural levels and include issues of race; gender; poverty and susceptibility to peer pressure. The paper concludes by recommending that future HIV-prevention interventions in South Africa should aim at building resilience among youths by promoting affirmative; supportive interventions that emphasize the potentials of young people
Subject(s)
Adolescent , HIV Infections , Patient ComplianceABSTRACT
Sickle cell anaemia is associated with structural manifestations in the hepatobiliary axis but these manifestations have not been sufficiently examined in Nigerian or African children. This study wasconducted to evaluate the results of ultrasono-graphic measurements of the hepatobiliary axis of children with sickle cell anaemia in a Nigerian teaching hospital. One hundred and twenty children with Hb SS in steady state aged between 12 months and 15 years and sixty children with Hb AA matched by age and sex (as controls) were consecutively recruited from April through November 2002. Past and present medical histories were obtained and physical examination and abdominal ultrasonography were performed. The mean liver span; the common hepatic duct and common bile duct diameters; the longitudinal and transverse dimensions (but not the wall thickness) of the gallbladder were significantly higher in test subjects than controls (p 0.05). Multiple regression showed that age correlated significantly with all the studied ultrasound scan (USS) measurements (p 0.05). Recurrent episodes of abdominal pain correlated with gallbladder wall thickness (p