Assessing the Prevalence, Distribution and Association Between Sickle Cell Disease and Growth Outcomes Among Children in Oti and Volta Regions, Ghana: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common inherited blood disorders globally and remains a significant public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana is among the countries with a high burden of the disease, with a considerable proportion of the population carrying the sickle cell gene. The study aimed to determine the prevalence, demographic distribution, and growth-related impacts of sickle cell disease among children aged 3-14 years in selected communities in the Oti and Volta Regions of Ghana. Methods: A community cross-sectional study design was used. The study analyzed secondary data obtained from sickle cell disease screening activities conducted by Medlook Ghana in collaboration with Compassion Ghana using Stata version 17. The dataset included hemoglobin genotype results, demographic characteristics, and anthropometric measurements of children aged 3-14 years screened in selected communities. A total of 1,226 children with complete records were included in the analysis. Results: The prevalence of SCD and its genotypes was calculated. The results showed that 76.75% of participants had the AA genotype, while 11.42% had AS and 9.79% had AC. Genotypes associated with SCD included SS (0.65%), SC (0.57%), and FS (0.08%), giving an overall SCD prevalence of 1.31%. Nutritional assessment showed that stunting was present in 0.33% of participants, underweight in 0.49%, and wasting in 1.47%. Chi-square tests indicated no statistically significant association between SCD status and stunting (χ² = 0.053, p = 0.818), underweight (χ² = 0.080, p = 0.778), or wasting (χ² = 0.242, p = 0.623). Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of strengthening community-based screening, early diagnosis, and genetic counseling programmes to improve the detection and management ofsickle cell disease among children in Ghana.