MARRIED AND UNMARRIED INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTIONS OF SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA

ABSTRACT

The Urge to embark on this study was necessitated by the dire need to find out the “married and unmarried individual perceptions of sickle cell anaemia.” A case study of Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State in particular.

Four research questions guided the study. The study was a survey research design and area of the study is Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. Simple random sampling was used. The sample size was 800 individuals from the five towns used.

The main instrument for data collection was the questionnaire for married and unmarried individuals. The instrument was structured according to a four point rating scale.

The result of data analysis indicated that five factors had a low unacceptable percentage scores, they are the ignorance of the existence of sickle cell anaemia, lack of scientific basis upon which the perceptions of married will be developed, Sickle cell anaemia can not be cured because it is an inheritable disease, avoid sickles if we want to manage the disease. Government should create avenue to educate the married and unmarried individuals on how to eradicate the wrong perceptions.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic disease, which affects both married and unmarried individuals. According to Oladele (1998) Sickle cell anaemia is a condition in which some of the red blood cells are in the form of banana or crescent-shaped instead of biconcave, disk shaped of round lie a coin with abnormal haemoglobin S, and are fearless efficient in carrying oxygen. The defective cells soon breakdown, die off and result in shortage of blood (anemia) which results in sickle cell crises with excruciating pain in bones and joints. Sickle-cell anemia According to Adeykunmu (1991) is a chronic, genetic and hemolytic disease peculiar to the negro race due to homozygous inheritance of an abnormal haemoglobin and resulting in a variation in the structure of the goblin, sickle-cell anemia develop when he sickle cell genes is in the homozygous state (SS). Sickle-cell anaemia is largely confined to tropical Africa or people of African descent. It is an inheritable disease, which gets to people out of ignorance.

People have different perceptions of this disease (sickle-cell anaemia) many looked at it as a recantative spirit on man; some see it as a demonic possessive mark of sign. Generally it is believed to be a genetic disease, which is inheritable.

By perception of sickle cell anaemia we mean the understanding people have towards sickle cell anaemia more especially the married and unmarried individuals. It is a genetic disease, which is inheritable from the parents to the offspring, though the olden people looked at it as what they called “Ogbanje”.

According to West African journals of medicine 2000 perception of sickle cell anaemia deals with the knowledge and understanding people have towards sickle-cell anaemia. Perception of these disease (sickle-cell anemia put many married individuals into problem, many lost their faith by going to one native doctor or another because of their perceptions.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Sickle-cell anaemia is a serious disease concern in the contemporary Nigeria educational, social and cultural system.

People speculate and attributed so many reasons and estimated incidence, types and causes of sickle-cell anaemia and neglect, abandonment, maltreatment, deprivation, starvation, which were meted out on the patient by the society. We are embarking on the write up with the aim of exposing the real perceptions of married and unmarried individuals towards sickle-cell anaemia thereby eradicating the wrong perceptions.

The researchers concern therefore is to investigate the incidence of the perception of sickle cell anaemia specifically in Enugu-East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The aim of this research is to find out the incidence of the perceptions in Enugu-East and other factors related to it, and make recommendation for eliminating the problems or the perceptions.

The following among other thing tries;

vTo identify the perception of the married individuals of sickle cell anaemia.

vTo identify the perceptions of the unmarried individuals of sickle-cell anaemia.

vTo suggest solutions to these perceptions, so as to reverse the wrong perceptions.

vTo find out the reaction of the scientist towards the perceptions of the married and unmarried individuals of sickle-cell anaemia.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will be limited to Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. The study will look into the various perceptions of the individuals (i.e.) the married and unmarried individuals of Enugu East of Enugu State.

SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

The significant of the study has bee placed under the following categories:

Students

They will have the knowledge of the wrong perception and prepare their life for the future.

Married and unmarried individual

This study will address the minds of the unmarried towards the right perceptions, in order for them to choose the right partners in marriage. It will also help the married individuals to have a strong conviction to the right perception.

Government

The Government and the children themselves will know the perception (i.e) the various perceptions of married and unmarried individuals towards sickle cell anaemia and also the implication of these perceptions to the society at large.

Researcher

It will help the researcher to device another means of carrying out a research and study more about the perception of sickle cell anaemia.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In the course of carrying out this research work, the researchers decided to use the following questions to bring the study into proper focus:

ØWhat are the perceptions of married individuals towards sickle-cell anaemia?

ØWhat are the perceptions of unmarried individuals towards sickle-cell anaemia?

ØWhat are the various suggestions to the perceptions, so as to reverse the wrong perceptions?

What are the reactions of the scientist towards the perceptions of the married and unmarried of sickle-cell anaemia?