A comparative study of academic achievement of children with sickle cell anemia and their healthy siblings

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) could impact negatively on academic performance of affected children. Reports so far have been inconsistent.

Objective: To do a comparative analysis of academic performance of Nigerian children with SCA and their siblings.

Methods: We studied sessional aggregate scores, pass rates and percentage scores in four core subjects (mathematics, English language, integrated science and social studies), as well as the total number of days of school absence of 52 school-age children (6-17 years) with sickle cell anemia and 42 siblings of similar sociodemographic characteristics, over one academic session.

Findings: School absence among the SCA patients was significantly higher than that of siblings (9.3+/-5.5 days/school year and 4.3+/-2.6 days/school year, respectively, mean+/-SD, p<0.05). Although the mean sessional aggregate score for patients was comparable with that of the siblings, there was a significantly larger proportion of below-average pupils among the patients. The mean percentage scores of the patients on mathematics, English language, integrated science and social studies compared well with those of the siblings. There was no significant correlation between school absence and academic achievement of the study population.

Conclusion: More children with SCA are underachievers in this study, and their school underachievement is not associated with the observed higher school absence.