Abstract:

Background: Sickle cell anemia continues to be a global problem that presents major challenges to our health systems. There is need for more public education, knowledge and practice towards the acute complications of sickle cell anemia in our setting. The natural history of sickle cell disease has been described out the Africa with complications such as recurrent painful episodes, infections, anemia, acute kidney injury and silent myocardial infarction which results as an exposure to some precipitating factors.

Objective; The broad objective of this research was to determine the knowledge and practice towards the acute complication of sickle cell anemia among children patient (aged 1-18 years) attending clinic at Bugando Medical Centre.

Methodology; this was community based cross sectional study design. Data was collected between July and October 2021 using a structured questionnaire. The Participants completed a questionnaire which contained demographic information about age, gender, number of children etc and other information that related to knowledge, and practice towards acute complication of sickle cell anemia. With their confidentiality apprehended.

Results: The knowledge of sickle-cell disease among maximum respondents was average. The practice towards sickle-cell disease complications was inappropriate among just more than half of respondents. The knowledge and practice of respondents towards sickle-cell and its complications were correlated. So, it is concluded that there is a need of awareness program to increase the knowledge level and to enable them to practice effectively on SCD complications which will help reduce mortality rates among respondents, resulting from sickle-cell disease.