Awareness and Frequency of Encounter With Subjects With Antiphospholipid Syndrome by Medical Practitioners in Tertiary and Some Other Health Institutions in Southeast Nigeria

Background: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune multisystem disorder. There has been a limited number of reported cases from Nigeria. Objectives: To determine the awareness and frequency of encounters with APS cases by medical practitioners in health institutions in South East Ni...

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Main Authors: Celestine C Okwara, Kingsley E Ekwuazi, Michael Abonyi, Fintan Ekochin, Winifred Adiri, Ijeoma Onwuchekwa, Henry Nwankwo, Ngozi Ekeigwe, Thomas Nnaji, Gladys Ozoh
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Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2024-10-01
Series:International Journal of Medicine and Health Development
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/ijmh/fulltext/2024/29040/awareness_and_frequency_of_encounter_with_subjects.9.aspx
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author Celestine C Okwara
Kingsley E Ekwuazi
Michael Abonyi
Fintan Ekochin
Winifred Adiri
Ijeoma Onwuchekwa
Henry Nwankwo
Ngozi Ekeigwe
Thomas Nnaji
Gladys Ozoh
author_facet Celestine C Okwara
Kingsley E Ekwuazi
Michael Abonyi
Fintan Ekochin
Winifred Adiri
Ijeoma Onwuchekwa
Henry Nwankwo
Ngozi Ekeigwe
Thomas Nnaji
Gladys Ozoh
author_sort Celestine C Okwara
collection DOAJ
description Background: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune multisystem disorder. There has been a limited number of reported cases from Nigeria. Objectives: To determine the awareness and frequency of encounters with APS cases by medical practitioners in health institutions in South East Nigeria. Materials and Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. All medical doctors met in the clinics who were willing to participate in the study were recruited during the period of the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used for data entry, validation, and analysis. Results: A total of 581 study questionnaires were distributed to medical doctors met at the clinics and clinical meetings of five hospitals in Southeast Nigeria however, 581 were approximately filled and retrieved, giving an response rate of 94.84%. Males were 383 (69.5%) and females were 168 (30.5%). A total of 445 (80.8%) were unaware of the autoimmune multisystemic nature of APS. Of the 551 respondents, 348 (63.2%) were aware that Rheumatologist is the primary care physician for APS, 290 (52.6%) reported rarity of APS, and 366 (66.4%) had up to 50% overall knowledge of APS. Respondents’ encounters with unexplained thrombotic events and unexplained stroke in the young were limited. A total of 62 (11.3%) were aware of the international classification criteria for APS. Conclusion: The authors conclude that APS awareness among medical practitioners in South East Nigeria is suboptimal.
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spelling doaj-art-d117e001afe641c291d3e844a04d7f6a2025-08-20T02:13:23ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsInternational Journal of Medicine and Health Development2667-28632024-10-0129431632210.4103/ijmh.ijmh_36_24Awareness and Frequency of Encounter With Subjects With Antiphospholipid Syndrome by Medical Practitioners in Tertiary and Some Other Health Institutions in Southeast NigeriaCelestine C OkwaraKingsley E EkwuaziMichael AbonyiFintan EkochinWinifred AdiriIjeoma OnwuchekwaHenry NwankwoNgozi EkeigweThomas NnajiGladys OzohBackground: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune multisystem disorder. There has been a limited number of reported cases from Nigeria. Objectives: To determine the awareness and frequency of encounters with APS cases by medical practitioners in health institutions in South East Nigeria. Materials and Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. All medical doctors met in the clinics who were willing to participate in the study were recruited during the period of the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used for data entry, validation, and analysis. Results: A total of 581 study questionnaires were distributed to medical doctors met at the clinics and clinical meetings of five hospitals in Southeast Nigeria however, 581 were approximately filled and retrieved, giving an response rate of 94.84%. Males were 383 (69.5%) and females were 168 (30.5%). A total of 445 (80.8%) were unaware of the autoimmune multisystemic nature of APS. Of the 551 respondents, 348 (63.2%) were aware that Rheumatologist is the primary care physician for APS, 290 (52.6%) reported rarity of APS, and 366 (66.4%) had up to 50% overall knowledge of APS. Respondents’ encounters with unexplained thrombotic events and unexplained stroke in the young were limited. A total of 62 (11.3%) were aware of the international classification criteria for APS. Conclusion: The authors conclude that APS awareness among medical practitioners in South East Nigeria is suboptimal.https://journals.lww.com/ijmh/fulltext/2024/29040/awareness_and_frequency_of_encounter_with_subjects.9.aspxantiphospholipid antibody; antiphospholipid syndrome; autoimmune; medical practitioners
spellingShingle Celestine C Okwara
Kingsley E Ekwuazi
Michael Abonyi
Fintan Ekochin
Winifred Adiri
Ijeoma Onwuchekwa
Henry Nwankwo
Ngozi Ekeigwe
Thomas Nnaji
Gladys Ozoh
Awareness and Frequency of Encounter With Subjects With Antiphospholipid Syndrome by Medical Practitioners in Tertiary and Some Other Health Institutions in Southeast Nigeria
International Journal of Medicine and Health Development
antiphospholipid antibody; antiphospholipid syndrome; autoimmune; medical practitioners
title Awareness and Frequency of Encounter With Subjects With Antiphospholipid Syndrome by Medical Practitioners in Tertiary and Some Other Health Institutions in Southeast Nigeria
title_full Awareness and Frequency of Encounter With Subjects With Antiphospholipid Syndrome by Medical Practitioners in Tertiary and Some Other Health Institutions in Southeast Nigeria
title_fullStr Awareness and Frequency of Encounter With Subjects With Antiphospholipid Syndrome by Medical Practitioners in Tertiary and Some Other Health Institutions in Southeast Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Awareness and Frequency of Encounter With Subjects With Antiphospholipid Syndrome by Medical Practitioners in Tertiary and Some Other Health Institutions in Southeast Nigeria
title_short Awareness and Frequency of Encounter With Subjects With Antiphospholipid Syndrome by Medical Practitioners in Tertiary and Some Other Health Institutions in Southeast Nigeria
title_sort awareness and frequency of encounter with subjects with antiphospholipid syndrome by medical practitioners in tertiary and some other health institutions in southeast nigeria
topic antiphospholipid antibody; antiphospholipid syndrome; autoimmune; medical practitioners
url https://journals.lww.com/ijmh/fulltext/2024/29040/awareness_and_frequency_of_encounter_with_subjects.9.aspx
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