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. 2020 Jul 29;5(3):127. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed5030127

Table 1.

Clinical practices and opinions of Congolese physicians about sickle cell disease (n = 460).

1. Clinical Practices n (%)
Do you follow patients who are…?
  • (1)

    Homozygote for HbS

  • (2)

    Heterozygous for HbS

  • (3)

    Compound heterozygous for SBeta-thalassemia

  • (4)

    Compound heterozygous for other sickle cell syndromes

 452
4
4
0		 (98%)
(1%)
(1%)
(0%)
Do you treat sickle cell patients?
  • (1)

    ≤15 years old

  • (2)

    >15 years old

 452
8		 (98%)
(2%)
Physicians who prescribe hemoglobin electrophoresis 101 (22%)
Physicians who announce diagnoses to their patients 301 (66%)
Physicians who give appropriate advice to sickle cell patients * 147 (32%)
Physicians who refer patients for psychological support to patient associations 46 (10%)
Physicians who use traditional medicines to treat sickle cell disease 24 (5%)
Physicians who collaborate with NGOs involved in the fight against sickle cell anemia 60 (13%)
Physicians who receive patients referred by traditional healers 24 (5%)
Physicians in possession of the national protocol for the management of sickle cell disease in their structures 67 (15%)
Physicians who know at least a reference center for sickle cell disease in their hometowns 318 (69%)
2. Opinions of physicians
Organization of a university diploma in major sickle cell syndromes in his/her hometown 0 (0%)
Physicians who are aware of their own hemoglobinopathy status 212 (46%)
Physicians who know at least one sickle cell association in their city of residence 78 (17%)
Physicians who think that sickle cell patients are afraid of the disease 386 (84%)
Physicians who think that sickle cell patients keep hope 294 (64%)
Knowledge of sickle cell patients coming from:
  • (1)

    Patient association

  • (2)

    Support structure

  • (3)

    Association aid

 66
69
124		 (14%)
(15%)
(27%)
Physicians who know the different types of major sickle cell syndromes
(1) HbSS 454 (99%)
(2) HbSβThal 4 (1%)
(3) HbSC 2 (0%)
(4) HbSOarabic 0 (0%)
(5) HbSDpunjab 0 (0%)
(6) HbSE 0 (0%)

NGOs: non-governmental organizations; HbSS: homozygous S, Composite heterozygote (SC, S-beta thalassemia, SOarabic, SDpunjab, and SE); * rehydration, regular medical follow-up, adherence to prophylaxis (folic acid, oral penicillin, dewormers, and antimalarials), ±1 for advice on factors triggering crisis—intense physical exercises, thermal variations, emotional stress, etc.