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Sickle Cell Disease Newborn Screening-An Audit of a Twin Island State Pilot Program
Shivon Belle Jarvis1, Edda Hadeed2, Ketty Lee3
1Paediatric Department, Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, Michael's Mount, St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda.
International Journal of Neonatal Screening
|March 28, 2023
Summary
Antigua and Barbuda
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Genetics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) prevalence is high in the Caribbean.
- Newborn Screening (NBS) programs are crucial for early intervention but face sustainability issues.
- Grant dependency challenges the long-term viability of NBS programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To audit the pilot Sickle Cell Disease Newborn Screening (SCD NBS) Program in Antigua and Barbuda.
- To assess the program's initial outcomes and identify areas for improvement.
- To evaluate the program's effectiveness in identifying infants with SCD.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective audit of the SCD NBS program data.
- Data collection from September 2020 to December 2021.
- Analysis of screening results, including conclusive rates and specific hemoglobin variants.
Main Results:
- 99% of eligible infants received conclusive screening results.
- Sickle Cell Disease was detected in 0.5% of newborns (1 in 222 live births).
- Maternal awareness of sickle cell status (82%) significantly higher than paternal awareness (3%).
Conclusions:
- The SCD NBS program in Antigua and Barbuda shows promising initial results comparable to regional data.
- Sustainability challenges due to grant dependency require attention.
- Establishing a quality improvement team and robust public education are vital for program success.
