In the original version of this article [1], published on 20 September 2018, there was an error in the author name of Dr. Sankari Tarabishi.
Blood can only be given from generous donors. The main objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) and associated factors of blood donation among health care workers in Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital (WSUTRH), Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 218 WSUTRH health care workers. Socio-demographic characteristics and data related to the levels of KAP of participants were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted using statistical package for social sciences version 20 to assess the factors associated with the practice of blood donation with p-value set at < 0.05 for statistical significance. Two hundred eighteen health care workers were involved in the study among which 129 (59.2%) were males and 89 (40.8%) were females. Among the study participants, 180(82.6%) had good knowledge but only 128(58.7%) were found to have a good attitude as 126(57.8%) reported that voluntary donor is the best source of blood donation. Regrettably, only 47(21.6%) of the respondents were found to practice blood donation in their lifetime. A majority (65.5%) of the participants did not donate blood as they have not been approached to do so. Knowledge and attitude levels of the participants were not found to be significantly associated with sociodemographic parameters study; but, only sex of the participants had shown statistically significant association with blood donation practice where males were more likely to donate blood than females (AOR = 2.59 (1.22–5.49)). The overall level of knowledge was satisfactory and the level of attitude and practice was unexpectedly low. Female respondents were found to have lesser practice towards blood donation than males. Health care workers, blood banks and the hospital are demanded to design ways to update knowledge, and build its psychological benefits and make services more accessible.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic hematologic disease associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Hemoglobinopathies are the most prevalent genetic disease globally, and SCD is estimated to affect 0.7% of Ugandan. The disease may adversely impact on the quality of life of sickle cell patients. This study aimed to evaluate the health related quality of life (HRoL) of adolescents with SCD. This was a mixed-methods study of adolescents with sickle cell disease and their caretakers living in Kampala city, Uganda. All children aged 8–17 years with homozygous sickle cell disease attending the sickle cell clinic at Mulago Hospital during the study period were included in this study. Participants completed the PedsQL™ generic core scales parent-proxy and child self-report questionnaire during a routine clinic visit. HRQoL was the primary outcome measured. Socio-demographics and disease related data were obtained through personal interview with caretakers and reviewing patients’ medical records. Mean scores were used for HRQoL and linear regression for associated factors. Of the 140 adolescents with SCD included in the study, 40% were male. A total of 95 adolescents (68%) were between the age of 8–12 years with a mean age of 14.25 years. The physical function was assessed slightly higher by adolescents with a mean score of57.5 ± 20.3 compare to caretakers with 52.8 ± 22.1(p < 0.001). As assessed by caretakers, physical HRQoL scores were negatively associated with pain about-10.02 CI [− 19.22, − 0.81](p = 0.033), whereas it was positively associated with Pneumococcal vaccine with the score of 28.43 CI [16.78,40.09](p < 0.001) as assessed by adolescents and 31.37CI [22.22,40.51](p < 0.001) by caretakers. Pneumococcal vaccination impacted positively the psychosocial functioning with a score of 8.67CI [1.51,15.84] (p = 0.018) as assessed by children and 15.94 CI [5.50,26.38](p = 0.003) as assessed by the caretakers. This study highlighted that pain was negatively associated with both physical and psychosocial functioning; whereas getting Pneumococcal vaccine was positively associated with both physical and psychosocial functioning as reported by children and caretakers.
The original version of this article [1] unfortunately included an error to an author’s name. Author Amin Ata Alamin was incorrectly presented as Anim Ata Alamin. The correct author name has been included in the author list of this Correction article and is already updated in the original article.
The BCR-ABL1 fusion gene underlying the pathogenesis of CML can arise from a variety of breakpoints. The e13a2 and e14a2 transcripts formed by breakpoints occurring around exon 13 and exon 14 of the BCR gene respectively are the most common. We undertook a retrospective audit using local laboratory database and electronic patient care records of 69 CML patients with an e13a2 or e14a2 transcript type identified in our regional population. The e13a2 group was on average significantly younger (45.0 years v 54.5 years), had a higher average white cell count (189.8 × 109/l v 92.40 × 109/l) and lower platelet count (308 × 109/l v 644 × 109/l) in comparison to the e14a2 group suggesting that these are distinct biological entities. Over an average follow-up of 33.8 months and 27.2 months for the e13a2 and e14a2 groups we observed an inferior molecular response to imatinib in the e13a2 group. A significantly lower number of patients in the e13a2 arm met European Leukemia Net criteria for optimal response at 12 months therapy (17.64% v 50.0%) and were slower to obtain deep molecular responses MR4 or MR4.5. Patients with an e13a2 transcript demonstrate an inferior molecular response to imatinib in our regional population.
