Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Sickle Cell Disease Among Nurses in Resource-Limited Peri-Urban and Rural Settings in Ghana
Mary Akua Ampomah, Samuel Kwasi Apedo, Shallom Fafali Apetorgbor, Magdalen Adjoa Ayivi, Johne Ohene Gyan, Bright Kwasi Degboy, Robert Kokou Dowou, Mawuli Komla Kushitor, Nuworza Kugbey, Brenda Agyeiwaa Poku, Andrews Adjei Druye, Emmanuel Manu, Kokou Hefoume Amegan-AhoBackground
While cost-effective interventions are available in developed countries, SCD incidence continues to increase in Ghana. To improve SCD care delivery, nurses, who constitute the majority of the healthcare workforce, must possess adequate knowledge and a positive attitude towards SCD. These measures will facilitate the ongoing expansion and progress of Ghana’s newly introduced Free Primary and Healthcare initiative in managing SCD.
Aim
This study examined the SCD knowledge and attitudes towards SCD among nurses in resource-limited peri-urban and rural settings in Ghana.
Methods
A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2022 and September 2022 among 212 nurses in all the health facilities in the Hohoe Municipality of Ghana. Pre-tested questionnaires assessing SCD knowledge and attitude were administered to participants. A descriptive analysis was conducted to determine nurses’ knowledge and attitudes towards SCD. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify the demographic and health facility predictors of nurses’ knowledge of SCD. A two-tailed
Results
A total of 56.1% of participants demonstrated good knowledge of SCD. In the multivariable binary logistic regression analysis, the odds of having good knowledge were 2.42 times higher among nurses at facilities with diagnostic equipment [aOR=2.42, 95% CI: 1.04-5.64]. Regarding the attitude of nurses towards SCD, the majority of participants (90.6%) were willing to undergo pre-marital genetic counselling. In addition, majority of the nurses (57.1%) were willing to carry their pregnancies to term whiles 23.1% opted to abort despite the known risk of SCD.
Conclusion
The above-average levels of knowledge and attitudes towards SCD have implications for the newly introduced Free Primary Healthcare Initiative, which seems to strengthen the integration of SCD screening and management into primary healthcare services in resource-limited peri-urban and rural communities in Ghana through nurses’ capacity building and improved healthcare equipment.