Knowledge of sickle cell disease and associated factors among undergraduate students at Makerere University: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study finds that most Makerere University students have poor knowledge of sickle cell disease, with religion and personal connections to the disease linked to better understanding.

Contribution

The study identifies specific demographic and social factors associated with higher knowledge of SCD among university students in Uganda.

Findings

84.68% of students had poor knowledge of Sickle Cell Disease.

Most students (92.73%) had never tested for Sickle Cell Trait.

Being Muslim and knowing someone with SCD were significantly associated with higher knowledge.

Abstract

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a hereditary disorder with significant public health implications such as chronic pain, and premature mortality. The disease is majorly in sub-Saharan Africa including Uganda. Amidst all this, research has reported low levels of awareness especially among young people such as university students who are the next generation of parents hence the need to conduct the research.

This study determined the knowledge of Sickle Cell Disease and its associated factors among undergraduate students at Makerere University.

This was only a quantitative cross-sectional study conducted across 10 Colleges at Makerere University among three hundred eighty-five (385) undergraduate students. The students were randomly selected and data collected using an online structured questionnaire designed using Kobo Collect application. Collected data was analysed using logistic regression in STATA 17 software to assess the association between knowledge and demographic factors.

Most participants were between the ages of 18 and 22 (62.08%). While most students had heard of SCD (94.81%), a significant proportion reported that they did not know where SCD testing is done (55.06%) and had never tested for Sickle Cell Trait (92.73%). The mean knowledge score was 58.40%, with 84.68% having poor knowledge. Factors significantly associated with high SCD knowledge included being of Muslim religion (p=0.027) and knowing someone who had ever had SCD (p=0.030).

This study reveals low knowledge levels of SCD among undergraduate students at Makerere University, with higher knowledge associated with Muslim religion and knowing someone with SCD, highlighting the need for targeted educational interventions.