title: Evaluation of Blood Transfusions in Anemic Children in Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana.
abstract: Blood transfusion is a common practice in sub-Saharan Africa as a way of correcting anemia in children with mild and severe sicknesses. This study evaluated this practice in a secondary health-care institution in Ghana. A retrospective study was done over a 3-year period from January 2010 to December 2012. Medical records of children admitted, successfully treated, and discharged from the hospital were collected and analyzed. Data were analyzed using Epi Info version 7. Transfusions were more among male children (89, 63.1%) than female children (52, 36.9%). The highest number of blood transfusions were carried out on children in the age range 0-1 year (66, 46.8%). The majority of the blood transfusions were done on children with hemoglobin concentration level of 5 g/dL and below. Children with malaria parasitemia (83, 58.9%) had more transfusions than children without malaria parasitemia (58, 41.1%). Fever alone (43, 30.5%) and fever with gastrointestinal symptoms (33, 23.4%) were the predominant symptoms among children who had blood transfusions. In conclusion, younger children received more transfusions than older children. Also, male children received more blood transfusions than female children. Malaria was observed as a major contributory factor to the requirement for blood transfusions among the children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana; Department of Optometry, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Biomedical and Forensic Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies.
authors.forename: Verner N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Orish
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana; Department of Optometry, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Biomedical and Forensic Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilechie
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana; Department of Optometry, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Biomedical and Forensic Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies.
authors.forename: Theophilus
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Combey
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana; Department of Optometry, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Biomedical and Forensic Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies.
authors.forename: Onyekachi S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Onyeabor
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana; Department of Optometry, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Biomedical and Forensic Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies.
authors.forename: Chuku
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okorie
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana; Department of Optometry, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Biomedical and Forensic Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies ksanyaolu@mail.sjsm.org.
authors.forename: Adekunle O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Sanyaolu
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins