The Impact of Sickle Cell Disease on Academic Performance among Affected Students

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disease that is highly prevalent in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia, and is mostly characterized by many complications such as vaso-occlusive crises (VOC), acute chest syndrome (ACS) and well-documented neurological complications. These complications may affect pa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Children (Basel) 2021-12, Vol.9 (1), p.15
Main Authors: Alhazmi, Abdulaziz, Hakami, Khalid, Abusageah, Faisal, Jaawna, Essa, Khawaji, Meshal, Alhazmi, Essam, Zogel, Basem, Qahl, Salman, Qumayri, Ghadeer
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic achievement
Anemia
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Design
Education
hemoglobinopathies
Jazan
Middle schools
Mortality
Multivariate analysis
Pandemics
Parents & parenting
Pediatrics
Questionnaires
Sample size
Saudi Arabia
Sickle cell disease
Students
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Summary:Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disease that is highly prevalent in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia, and is mostly characterized by many complications such as vaso-occlusive crises (VOC), acute chest syndrome (ACS) and well-documented neurological complications. These complications may affect patients' academic performance. An observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted in Jazan Province. General and demographic data were collected and questions about academic performance of students with SCD were answered. Both -tests and chi-square tests, along with multiple logistic regression, were used for analysis. 982 participants were selected for this study with a mean age of 23 years (SD: 7). Most of the participants were female (64%). The number of participants with SCD was 339 (36%), of whom 42% were male. Students with SCD recorded lower grade point averages (GPA) and more absences compared to healthy participants. Further, about 60% of students with SCD thought they performed better than 40% of the participants without SCD during the COVID-19 pandemic when most of the educational activities were online. As has been previously reported, this study suggested that the academic performance of students with SCD is negatively affected compared to healthy individuals, and this is mostly due to complications associated with the disease. Further, students with SCD acknowledged better performance with online education, an option that should be considered to improve their academic performance. National studies on a larger population are required by health and education officials, and supportive online educational programs are warranted to enhance the academic performance of this population.
ISSN:2227-9067
2227-9067
DOI:10.3390/children9010015