Enablers and barriers to newborn screening for sickle cell disease in Africa: results from a qualitative study involving programmes in six countries.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Given the fundamental role of newborn bloodspot screening (NBS) to enable prompt diagnosis and optimal clinical management of individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), we sought to systematically assess enablers and barriers to implementation of NBS programmes for SCD in Africa using established qualitative research methods.

Setting

Childbirth centres and NBS laboratories from six countries in East, West and Southern Africa.

Participants

Eight programme leaders involved with establishing and operating NBS programmes for SCD in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Data obtained through a structured, phased interview approach were analysed using a combination of inductive a

SUBMITTER: Archer NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8915265 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature