Assessing public knowledge of clinical and social issues of sickle cell disease: A study in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major health concern in Ghana, but little has been carried out to evaluate its clinical characteristics. This study therefore assessed knowledge of SCD in Kumasi, Ghana. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 405 individuals randomly selected from the metropolis using the quota sampling technique to ascertain knowledge of SCD, sickling status, disease complications, and choice of drug management. The results showed that 65.4% of the respondents knew that SCD is genetic in origin, but 65.1% had no idea what sickle cell crisis was. Educational level influenced the knowledge of the cause of SCD (p < 0.001), but gender, age, employment, and marital status had no significant correlation (p > 0.05). Most (67.5%) of the participants had no idea of their sickling status, with individuals aged 18-30 years (i.e., 69.3%) being the majority. Education (p < 0.001) and age (p < 0.001) did not influence knowledge of sickling status. Many (56.9%) regarded sickle cell as a burden on society. Most (69.3%) opted for orthodox management, while 28.5% chose herbal treatment giving reasons such as “no side effects,” tradition, affordability, and efficacy. The majority (52.5%) indicated very poor public sensitization, and 69.4% did not have an idea of the availability of sickle cell centers in hospitals. Findings suggest the need for more effort to promote SCD awareness campaigns in Ghana.