Biodemographic Characteristics of Children with Down Syndrome, Their Siblings, and Their Parents in Moroccan Population.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we present the results of biodemographic characteristics of households and associated factors with Down syndrome (DS) birth in Morocco. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective survey between 2014 and 2017 addressed to 277 families with 925 siblings and at least one child with DS (279 with DS). The data are collected using a standardized questionnaire in Marrakech-Safi region. Data were entered and analyzed using the statistical program SPSS statistics software for Windows (version 20.0). χ2 and student t tests were used for testing statistical significance. Differences were considered significant when the p value <0.05. RESULTS: The binary logistic regression analysis between DS and non-DS children in their biodemographic characteristics studied (sex, breastfeeding, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, birth weight, maternal age at birth, paternal age at birth, oral contraceptive use, duration of oral contraceptive use before pregnancy, child age, and rank of birth) showed that only maternal age and paternal age at birth, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, birth weight, and child age were associated with DS birth (odds ratio [OR] = 1.08; 95% Cl: 1.04-1.13, OR = 1.04; 95% Cl: 1.00-1.08, OR = 0.95; 95% Cl: 0.92-0.98, OR = 0.31; 95% Cl: 0.22-0.44, and OR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.87-0.93, respectively). In the other hand, the comparison between some of socio- and biodemographic characteristics of households studied with data from National Population Survey and Family Health (2018) showed a higher level of education in women and men in our sample in comparison with the general population. Similar results were shown in proportion of men and women in paid employment, the proportion of smoking and alcohol consumption among men, and the rate of oral contraceptive use before pregnancy among women. CONCLUSION: Highlighting the biodemographic characteristics of people with DS will help families to take good care of this group.

Parents' perceptions of morbidities and some functional abilities in people with down syndrome in Morocco.

Objective: This study aimed to assess parental perceptions of morbidity and certain functional abilities in people with Down syndrome (DS) and their variability according to age and sex in Morocco. Material and Methods: A retrospective and analytical survey was conducted between May 2014 and November 2017, and addressed to the parents of 279 individuals with DS, including 161 boys (57.7%) aged 1-40 years. The sample was subdivised to tree age groups, children under 10 years old, adolescents aged 10-18 years and adults aged ≥ 18 years. Information about the identity of parents, age and sex of people with DS, their morbidity during the two years preceding the survey, and some functional abilities was collected. Data were entered and analyzed using the statistical program SPSS statistics software for Windows (version 20.0). Chi-square (χ2) test was used for testing statistical significance. Differences were considered significant when the p-value < 0.05. The multivariate analysis were used to identify the causes of morbidies independently associated with age and sex of child. Associations were measured in Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% Cl). Results: The most common factors of morbidity registered in the study sample with DS, included respiratory infections, visual disturbances, oral pathologies, and cardiac problems (75.4%, 72.1%, 59.3%, and 44.9%, respectively). The hearing deficit, cardiac problems, respiratory infections, and oral pathologies showed statistically significant differences among the three age groups. According to the participants parents' perceptions, half of them (50%) were able to walk at 30 months, talk at 72 months, sit at 16 months, crawl at 16 months and eat alone at 48 months old. Conclusion: People with DS at different ages present a set of potentially treatable diseases that require multidisciplinary medical monitoring. They also need early paramedical care to improve their functional abilities.

Bio-demographic characteristics of households and risk factors for Down Syndrome in Morocco.

Background: The most studied risk factors for Down Syndrom (DS) were: region of residence, exposure to chemicals, parents' education level, cigarette and alcohol use by father or mother or both, and oral contraceptive (OC) use. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare certain variables considered as risk factors on DS such as parental age at birth, OC use, child's sex, and rank of birth between children with DS and their siblings without DS as well as to determine the socio-bio-demographic characteristics of the families studied compared with the general Moroccan population. Material and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 277 families with 925 siblings and at least one child with DS (279 with DS) between 2014 and 2017. The data are collected using a standardized questionnaire in MarrakechSafi region. Data were entered and analyzed using the statistical program SPSS statistics software for Windows (version 20.0). Chi-square (χ2) and Student t tests were used for testing statistical significance. Differences were considered significant when the p-value <0.05. Results: The binary logistic regression analysis between DS and non-DS children in their bio-demographic characteristics studied (sex, maternal age at birth, paternal age at birth, oral contraceptive (OC) use, length of oral contraceptive use before pregnancy and rank of birth) showed that only maternal age and paternal age at birth and OC use were associated with DS birth (OR= 1.16; 95% CL: 1.11-1.21, OR= 1.05; 95%CL: 1.01-1.09 and OR= 0.01; 95%CL: 0.00-0.003, respectively). In the other hand, the comparison between socio and bio-demographic characteristics of households studied with data from National Population Survey and Family health (2018) showed a higher level of education in women and men in our sample. Similar results were shown in rate of men and women in paid employment, the rate of smoking and alcohol consumption among men and the rate of OC use before pregnancy among women. Conclusion: These results will help to sensitize the Moroccan population about risk factors for DS.

Characteristics of Menarcheal Age, Menstrual Hygiene and Socio-Demographic Factors in Girls with Down Syndrome in Morocco.

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of menarcheal age, menstrual hygiene and their associated socio-demographic factors in girls with Down syndrome (DS) in Morocco. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2014 and November 2017, including 59 parents/guardians of girls with Down syndrome aged 9-32 years. Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire providing information about socio-demographic and cultural conditions of parents, nutritional status and some functional abilities of girls. The median age at menarche was estimated using retrospective and status-quo methods, respectively. Data were entered and analyzed using the statistical program SPSS statistics software for Windows (version 20.0). Chi-square (χ2) and Mann-Whitney tests were used for testing statistical significance. The age at menarche ranged from 9 to 16 years old. The median was 13.0 (IQR, 11.0-14.0) years. The median age of menarche by probit analysis was 12.55 years. The relationship between menarcheal age, menstrual hygiene and the selected parameters showed a significant difference in age at menarche only regarding the parameter of number of siblings (Z = 2.14; p = .03), and in menstrual hygiene regarding mother's level of education, family size and age of talking (χ2 = 5.04, p = .02; χ2 = 3.75, p = .05 and χ2 = 4.99, p = .02, respectively). Most girls with DS attain menarche at the usual age as their counterparts in the general population and do not have enough knowledge about menstruation. Mobilization of all interventionists is urgent to develop adolescent skills about practices related to menstruation and menstrual hygiene.