ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Premarital haemoglobin screening is an important strategy for the control of Sickle Cell Disease. AIMS: To determine the prevalence and pattern of sickle cell disease among premarital couples and to assess their attitude to the risk of sickle cell anaemia in their offspring. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross sectional descriptive study using interviewer administered questionnaire and haemoglobin screening to collect data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systematic sampling of every third premarital couples attending the General outpatient Clinic of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, between November 2010 and October 2011 was used to select the subjects for the study. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: SPSS version 16 was used for statistical analysis of data from 212 premarital couples or 424 subjects. RESULTS: The prevalence of HbAA and HbAS were 72.64% or 308/424 and 26.4% or 112/424, respectively, while HbSS was 0.94% or 4/424. In 95.3% of the couples there was no risk of offspring inheriting sickle cell anaemia. An equal percentage of males (χ2 = 24.704; df = 6; P = 0.000) and females (χ2 = 12. 684; df 6; P = 0.048) (67.9% or 144/212) would call-off their marriage if there was risk of their offspring being HbSS. CONCLUSIONS: Three quarters of the premarital couples had HbAA, while one quarter had Sickle cell trait. A very low percentage of the couples (2.8%) had 1:4 risk of their offspring inheriting SCA (HbSS). About 2/3 of the subjects would call-off the marriage if there was risk of their offspring inheriting SCA.
Subject(s)
Anemia, Sickle Cell/epidemiology , Family Characteristics , Adult , Chi-Square Distribution , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , Male , Nigeria/epidemiology , Prevalence , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) can further depress a failing heart and are not recommended for elderly patients with systolic heart failure (HF).This study conducted in four hospitals in Benin City was undertaken to evaluate rational prescribing of CCBs in hypertensive elderly outpatients.Self-administered questionnaire was administered to 161 medical doctors to detect the proportion of physicians who prescribe CCBs to elderly outpatients with systolic HF with or without evaluating the heart status and/or counseling them on the possibility of recognizing the dangerous effect on heart while taking the CCBs. The association between inappropriate prescription of CCBs and sociodemographic variables was determined using logistic regression analysis.Majority (98.7) of the 150 respondents reported ever treating hypertension in 48.5 +/- 42.3 (range: 2-250) elderly outpatients per month with most evaluating the patients' heart status. CCBs (nifedipine and amlodipine) were often prescribed for systolic HF for the elderly by 34.3of participants but only 4.7of them properly counseled the patients. Area of specialization (odds ratio = 1.076); hospital where the doctors worked (OD = 1.080) and status of the doctors were good predictors of CCBs prescription in systolic HF.It is concluded that irrational prescribing of CCBs for elderly outpatients is common in the four hospitals studied. This calls for appropriate educational intervention that will improve the knowledge of physicians in Benin City in rational prescribing of drugs for the elderly
