Factors Associated with Acceptability of Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in Lubumbashi City, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

Objective: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major genetic disease that occurs early in childhood and can cause considerable morbidity and even death. Newborn screening (NBS) is one of the effective health services that have lowered the burden of SCD in wealthy countries. Surprisingly, NBS programs are essentially non-existent in subSaharan Africa, where the majority of babies are born with this condition. The objective of this study was to determine the level of acceptability of NBS and the factors influencing it in the population of Lubumbashi city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Material and Methods: From December 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes related to NBS for SCD were collected from 2032 adults in Lubumbashi city using a semi-structured and pre-tested questionnaire. Results: There was a good knowledge of SCD as a hereditary blood disorder (77.7%). NBS’s acceptability rate was 84.5%. Age (P = 0.002), sex (P = 0.025), and religion (p<0.001) were found to be significantly associated with the NBS acceptability. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, NBS is widely accepted in Lubumbashi. The primary challenges to its adoption are likely to be financial and practical rather than social or cultural.