Abstract

THE PREVALENCE OF SICKLE CELL ANEMIA AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTERS IN JAZAN REGION, SAUDI ARABIA

Almuhalb Gaffer Mohamed Ismail* and Hussein Ismail Ahmed

ABSTRACT

This was an observational, descriptive, cross sectional, primary health care facility based study in Jazan province in Kingdom Saudi Arabia. The total study population of 296 sickle cell anemia patients, homozygous for HbS, who attended primary health care centers (PHCCs) in Jazan region, were investigated. Data was collected from 15 (PHCCs) randomly selected from all sectors of Jazan. The socio-demographic characteristics of the study group revealed that most of the patients in the study group (80%) were from 0-30 years old. Almost half of SCA patients in the study group (52.4%) diagnosed with early age less than a year, and 58% their general condition unwell, while 27% of them had severe disease, and 86% of them had history of admission in hospitals the majority of them admitted in hospital twice and more. The study found that about two thirds (64%) of the patients had a history of blood transfusions. Fifth (21%) were transfused blood five times and more, 5% were transfused blood four times, and 10% were transfused blood three-times. Other associated chronic diseases were found in 22% of participants. Pain was common presenting symptom (97%), followed by fever (63%) and shortness of breath (SOB) (38%). Moreover, it was found that there was a statistically significant correlation between pain and hospitalization (P 0.006). Regarding clinical signs 80% of the patients were pale, 56% had yellow sclera and hepatomegaly found in 37%.

Keywords: Sickle Cell Anemia, HbS, blood transfusion, Primary Health care Centers.