| dc.description.abstract | Background: Worldwide, the burden of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) has not been amply addressed. In Africa, Uganda
has the 5th highest burden, a situation aggravated by limited and inaccessible formal social support structures to
aid patients and families cope better with the psychosocial burden of SCD. In addition, this has been coupled with
stigmatization and discrimination of people living with sickle cell disease-causing isolation from family and society.
Method: This cross-sectional study, therefore, set out to determine the attitudes, perception and level of awareness
towards Sickle Cell disease in Ugandan communities. The study used an interviewer administered questionnaires to
collect the data.
Results: Out of 110 people sampled; 91.2% of the respondents had ever heard of SCD with the highest proportion
38.7% hearing of SCD from friends and family. Close to half of the respondents 48% knew that SCD is inherited,
however a large proportion 44.2% did not know the cause of SCD. However, 68.7% of the respondents said they
cannot marry a person with SCD.
Conclusion: The study results indicate that more effort needs to be done to promote sickle cell awareness in
Uganda communities with an emphasis on the inclusion of sickle cell in health education campaigns. | en_US |
