Married and Unmarried Individual Perceptions of Sickle Cell Anaemia (a Case Study of Enugu East LGA Enugu State)
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The aim of this research is to find out the incidence of the perceptions in Enugu-East and other factors related to it, and make recommendation for eliminating the problems or the perceptions.
The following among other thing tries;
- To identify the perception of the married individuals of sickle cell anaemia.
- To identify the perceptions of the unmarried individuals of sickle-cell anaemia.
- To suggest solutions to these perceptions, so as to reverse the wrong perceptions.
- To find out the reaction of the scientist towards the perceptions of the married and unmarried individuals of sickle-cell anaemia.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
For the purpose of this particular study, literature was reviewed under the following headings:
- Concept of sickle-cell anaemia.
- Signs and Symptoms of sickle cell anaemia.
- The perception of sickle cell anaemia, which has to do with the following:
- Ancient perception of sickle cell anaemia.
- Medical perception of sickle cell anaemia.
- Flash light Age perception of sickle cell anaemia.
- Modern perception of sickle cell anemia.
- Real perception of sickle cell anemia.
- Strategies through which the condition of the wrong perceptions of sickle cell anemia will be eradicated.
- Genetic counseling.
- Summary of literature.
CONCEPT OF SICKLE-CELL ANAEMIA
According to Biology dictionary by J.O. Oladele B.Sc (Sd), Med (Psych) 1998 “Sickle-cell anaemia is a condition in which some red blood cells are in form of banana or crescent-shape or round like a coin with abnormal haemoglobin know as haemoglobin S, and are fearless efficient at carrying oxygen.
Sickle cell anaemia according to micropedia 10: 780:2b is a serious hereditary disease that affects the blood. Sickle-cell anaemia is caused by the homozygous inheritance (that is from both parents) of the hemoglobin S-gene (Heb S, a variant type of hemoglobin the protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues of the blood).
Hb-S is sensitive to deficiency of oxygen, and when the carrier red blood cells release their oxygen to the tissues and the oxygen concentration within those cells is reduced, Hb-S in contrast to normal hemoglobin (Hb A) becomes stacked within the red cells in filaments that twist into helical rods. These rods then cluster into parallel bundles that distort and elongate the cells, causing to become rigid and assume a sickle shape. This phenomenon is to some extent reversible after the cell become oxygenated once morip but repeated sickling ultimately results in irreversible distortion of the red blood cell. The sickle shape cells become clogged in small blood vessels, causing obstruction of the microcirculation, which in turn results in danger, and destruction of various tissues.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In this chapter the methods used are,
Research design
Area of study
Population
Sample and Sampling techniques
Instruments for data Collection
Method of data Collection
Method of data Analysis.
Research Design
This is a Survey design, which used a large number of people to identify general opinion of married and unmarried individual perception on sickle cell anaemia. The Survey, which covered all the eight (8) towns in Enugu East Local government Area of Enugu State, used questionnaire as a method of obtaining information from the subject.
Area of Study
This study covered all the eight towns in Enugu East Local government Area of Enugu State.
Population
The population for this study consisted of 12665 married and unmarried individual in the entire eight (8) towns in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. The figure 8 towns in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State was collected from the information and statistic unit of Enugu East Local Government Area head quarters Enugu stat from the result of the last census carried out in the year 2006.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
This chapter presents the results of the study. The results are presented according to the research questions.
Research question 1
What are the perceptions of the married and unmarried individuals towards sickle-cell anaemia?
Table I above, shows the frequencies of the distribution of the responses to the 6 items on, The perceptions of the married and unmarried individuals on the existence of sickle-cell anaemia. fig I, 88-6% of the married and Unmarried are not aware while 11. 4% are aware. Fig 2, about 90% of married and unmarried individuals agreed that sickle-cell anaemia are being caused by evil spirit, while 10% of them disagreed, fig 3, 93.6% agreed that sickle-cell anaemia is caused by divine punishment, while 6.4% disagreed, fig 4, about 48.7% agreed that sickle-cell anaemia is caused by not observing some customary practices during pregnancy, while 51.3% disagreed on that issue. Fig 5, about 81.6% of married and unmarried individuals agreed that there was no scientific basis during the ancient era, while 18.4% disagreed. Fig6, 79.6% of married and unmarried individuals agreed that sickle-cell anaemia is as a result of the offences committed in the past, while about 21.3% disagreed.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION, LIMITATION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY.
The chapter presents the summary of the procedure used in the study, the implication of the study, conclusion and recommendations, limitation and suggestions for further study.
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS
Based on the analysis of the project the following summary is made.
- Lack of proper awareness of the existence of sickle-cell anaemia.
- Ignorance of married unmarried individuals
- Lack of seminar/teaching about the wrong perceptions.
- Inability to go for blood test before marriage.
- Sickle-cell anaemia is an inheritable disease.
- Hydroxyurea can be used in reducing the pain associated with sickle-cell anaemia.
Consequently, it brings about failure in marriages because of the wrong perceptions. Destruction of the young one’s because of ignorance and believes.
Questionnaire is the instrument used by the researchers to gather information.
The population used in the study was twelve thousand six hundred and sixty five (12665) while three thousand four hundred and forty sample were selected using simple random sampling. The researchers used only five towns in the study out of eight towns in Enugu East Local Government area. Enugu state.
To remedy the wrong perceptions of married and unmarried individuals towards sickle-cell anaemia, the scientists have suggested the following measures to be taken:
- Blood test should be carried out to determine the genotypes of couples.
- Restricting the married and unmarried from engaging in certain activities/discussion that will influence their perceptions
- Hydroxyurea can be used in reducing the pain associated with sickle-cell anaemia.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the result of the study the following conclusions were made:-
- Unawareness of sickle-cell anaemia existence.
- Lack of seminar/teaching about the wrong perceptions.
- Engaging in certain activities/discussion that influences the wrong perception.
- Use of Hydroxyurea can reduce the pain associated with sickle-cell anaemia.
IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY
This study has a number of interesting revelations whose implication can be hardly be over emphasized.
- Lack of seminar/teaching increases the wrong perceptions.
- Restricting the married and unmarried individual from blood test can cause more harm than good.
RECOMMENDATION
The following recommendations have been proffered based on the findings of this study.
- Government should create avenue on the education of married and unmarrid to correct the wrong perceptions, such as the use of mass media.
- Government should include it into the school curriculum as a course.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The researchers encountered a lot of problems during the course of this research work.
- Being a group work, it is not easy to control people, which are even older.
- There are difficulties in reaching those villages, which we used as a case study. The road to some town was so bad that the researchers sometimes have to trek some long distance.
- Furthermore, some of the respondents did not co-operate full with the researchers.
SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDIES.
The following suggestions were made for further studies:
- The study on the perceptions of married and unmarried should be carried out in other Local Government Areas.
- The Effect of sickle-cell anaemia as a disease.
- Reaction of Scientist on Sickle-cell anaemia.
REFERENCES
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- Diane, E. P. and Sally W. O. (2003) Human Development. Ninth edition McGraw-Hill New York.
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- Schechter A.O (2000), Effect of sickle-cell anaemia. Human Genome Project, New York. Y52pp.
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- Taylor C. (2004), The Shape of Sickle-cell Anaemia. New York: Mai Draw Hill Book Company.
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