Exploring Factors Associated with Quality of Life in Caregivers of Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease and HIV: A Comparative Analysis.

Introduction: Paediatric HIV and sickle cell disease (SCD) are two stigmatising and potentially fatal illnesses that place a significant burden on families. HIV patients benefit from a longstanding free-service national programme in Cameroon, and this could considerably alleviate burden of care on HIV caregivers, possibly leading to better quality of life (QoL) in HIV caregivers compared to SCD caregivers. Our study aimed to compare the QoL between caregivers of children and adolescents with SCD and HIV and explore factors associated with this QoL in Cameroon. Methods and Materials: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional analytic study at Douala Laquintinie Hospital from February to May 2023. A questionnaire was administered to caregivers of paediatric patients (≤18 years) with SCD and HIV. The Pediatrics Quality of Life-Family Impact Module (PedsQL FIM), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and the 9-item Patient Health Question (PHQ-9) tools were used as measures of quality of life, anxiety, and depression, respectively. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine factors associated with quality of life. A significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: We included 199 caregivers: SCD = 104 and HIV = 95. The mean age of caregivers in our sample was 40.47 ± 10.18 years. Caregivers of paediatric patients with HIV had a better mean quality of life than SCD (93.01 ± 7.35SD versus 64.86 ± 9.20SD, p < 0.001). PHQ-9 score (B = -1.52, 95% CI = [-2.08; -0.96], p=<0.001), GAD-7 score (B = -1.46, 95% CI = [-2.09; -0.83], p=<0.001), spending less than 75 000 FCFA on medications monthly (B = 12.13, 95% CI = [5.73; 18.94], p=<0.001), and being a SCD caregiver (B = -11.62, 95% CI = [-18.46; -4.78], p=0.001) were factors independently associated with quality of life on multivariable analysis. Conclusion: Quality of life is lower in caregivers of children and adolescents with SCD than with HIV. Preventing depression and anxiety as well as advocating for the subsidization of medications through a national SCD program may improve quality of life in SCD caregivers.

Neurological manifestations in patients with symptomatic COVID-19 admitted to the Bafoussam Regional Hospital, Cameroon.

INTRODUCTION: although the main manifestations of COVID-19 are respiratory, several neurological symptoms and complications have also been reported. The pandemic seems to have some epidemiological specificities in sub-Saharan Africa, and this may be reflected in the type and frequency of neurological symptoms. This study aimed to report neurological manifestations associated with symptomatic COVID-19 in a sub-Saharan African setting. METHODS: we conducted a retrospective review of symptomatic PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted to the Bafoussam Regional Hospital between March and September 2020. Patients' files were reviewed at discharge by a consultant neurologist. Socio-demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, symptoms on admission, neurological symptoms during hospitalization, management, and in-hospital outcome were recorded. Comparisons between patients with and without neurological symptoms were performed using Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: we enrolled 177 symptomatic patients (68% men). Mean age was 54.6 ± 17.8 years (range 2-99 years). Co-morbidities were present in 57.6% of patients, including hypertension (27.1%) and diabetes mellitus (25.4%). Neurological symptoms were found in 113 (63.8%) patients. The most frequent were headache (39.0%), myalgia (35.6%), anosmia (11.9%), impaired consciousness (10.7%) and delirium (5.6%). Regarding the presenting symptoms, fever was more frequent in patients with neurological symptoms than in those without (81.4% versus 50.0%, p< 0.001), while digestive symptoms were less frequent in patients with neurological symptoms (0.9% versus 9.4%, p= 0.004). CONCLUSION: neurological manifestations are frequent and heterogeneous in patients with symptomatic COVID-19. Further studies are needed to clarify the pathophysiology of neurological symptoms in COVID-19 and their impact on patients' long-term outcome.

L'epilepsie en milieu scolaire : enquete chez les enseignants de la ville de Kati au Mali et revue de la litterature

Introduction La prevalence de l'epilepsie en Afrique subsaharienne est elevee. Nous avons mene une etude transversale et descriptive dans l'ensemble des ecoles primaires de la ville de Kati (200 000 habitants). Les enseignants furent interviewes de maniere exhaustive a l'aide de questionnaires portant; d'une part; sur les connaissances; attitudes et pratiques des enseignants en matiere d'epilepsie et; d'autre part; sur leurs avis sur les consequences psychologiques; sociales pour l'enfant epileptique et les incidences sur sa scolarite.Resultats Nous avons interroge 92 enseignants (60 hommes et 32 femmes). L'age moyen des enseignants etait de 30 ans. La majorite d'entre eux avait une experience professionnelle de plus de 5 ans. Environ 38% des enseignants attribuaient la maladie a une cause surnaturelle. Plus de 39% des enseignants pensaient que l'epilepsie etait contagieuse et 61% pensaient que l'epilepsie etait incurable. 79% interdisaient systematiquement la pratique du sport a l'enfant epileptique. Environ 55% pensaient que l'enfant epileptique avait des capacites cognitives inferieures a celles de l'enfant non epileptique et 88% affirmaient que l'enfant epileptique etait incapable d'avoir une scolarite normale. 59% trouvaient que l'eleve epileptique etait victime de stigmatisation et de marginalisation. Devant une crise; 68% renvoyaient l'enfant au domicile.Conclusion Ce travail fait apparaitre un besoin de formation des enseignants en matiere d'epilepsie. Les donnees actuelles sur la frequence de l'epilepsie en milieu scolaire justifient une attention particuliere des services de sante et de ceux de l'education nationale sur la scolarisation de l'enfant epileptique