The DHS Program

Analysis of Sickle Cell Genotypes of Young Children in Nigeria Using the 2018 DHS Survey (English) 

Document Type

Working Papers

Publication Topic(s)

Child Health and Development, Youth

Country(s)

Nigeria

Survey

Nigeria DHS, 2018

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Pullum, Thomas W. 2020. Analysis of Sickle Cell Genotypes of Young Children in Nigeria Using the 2018 DHS Survey. DHS Working Papers No. 175. Rockville, Maryland, USA: ICF.

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Publication Date

September 2020

Publication ID

WP175

Abstract:

A DHS survey conducted in Nigeria in 2018 included sickle cell genotyping of a subsample of children age 6-59 months. The survey was the first population-based household survey to include sickle cell genotyping of children at a national level. This working paper provides continued analysis of the data that was not possible in the main survey report. The paper examines the spatial distribution of the problematic genotypes and alleles and their relationship with indicators of child health, and compares with evidence from clinical studies of higher mortality for the SS and SC genotypes, and lower mortality for the AS genotype, which has a known protective effect against malaria. We find serious limitations in the capacity of these data to quantify differences in the mortality risk from sickle cell disease, malaria, or any other cause. However, we found that the siblings of genotyped children with sickle cell disease are about 2.5 times as likely to have died as the siblings of other genotyped children. The only significant relationship with childhood illness is with severe anemia. The main value of the data is the description of the spatial distribution of the genotypes and alleles within Nigeria. The S and C genes are primarily concentrated in most states in the South West Zone, including Lagos. Spatial information such as this will be informative for education and intervention campaigns.