CONOCIMIENTOS Y ACTITUDES SOBRE LA ENFERMEDAD DE CÉLULAS FALCIFORMES DE CUIDADORES DE NIÑOS AFECTADOS EN LA CONSULTA EXTERNA DE HEMATOLOGÍA DE UN HOSPITAL DE ATENCIÓN TERCIARIA EN UN PAÍS EN DESARROLLO

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.1592542216098

• Palavras-chave: -

• Keywords: Caregivers, Knowledge and attitudes; Sickle cell anemia; developing Country, Sickle cell awareness.

• Abstract:

  Sickle cell anemia is included within the structural hemoglobinopathies, is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Knowledge and counseling are the pillars of prevention. Objectives: To assess the knowledge and attitudes about sickle cell disease (SCD) of caregivers of homozygous children who attend the hematology outpatient clinic of the Robert Reid Cabral Third Level Children's Hospital in the Dominican Republic, before the implementation of neonatal screening in the Dominican Republic. and use it as a basis for the creation of an education and counseling program for patients and families diagnosed with sickle cell disease.

  Methods: We performed a prospective, descriptive and observational research where the mothers of children with SCD were assessed by questionnaire based on the Information Sheets for Parents of Children with Sickle Cell Disease by the Utah Department of Health and by the New England Pediatric Sickle Cell Consortium.

  Results: Most of the mothers interviewed had a bad level of knowledge (53.9%) and very bad knowledge (22.5%) about the SCD. Younger and less educated mothers had a lower level of knowledge. 58.8 percent of mothers knew the form of inheritance and only 4.9 percent the probability of transmission. Most participant had partial knowledge about complications and preventive methods. The 56.9 percent did not know their status of sickle cell trait or their partners before getting pregnant.

  Conclusion: The level of knowledge about the sickle cell disease in mothers with affected children is very low.