IADR Abstract Archives
Evaluation of Orofacial Cleft Community Awareness Strategies of an Orofacial Cleft Team in a Low- and Middle-Income Country
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of our awareness campaign strategies and identify the most effective strategy for our environment.
Methods: All consenting parents of children and adult patients attending the cleft clinic of a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, over a 6-month period were included in the sample population. Data collection was done using a 15-item interviewer-administered questionnaire
Results: A total of 107 respondents were recorded in this study. Forty-six percent of respondents received information about the availability of treatment and referrals from the maternity centers where the child was delivered (45.8%, n = 49), while the media campaign contributed 13.1% to our patient referrals. Meanwhile, thirteen patients (12.6%) were informed about the treatment clinic by family members or neighbors who had similar conditions treated at the clinic, and twenty (19.4%) got information from other sources, such as routine medical checks or social welfare programs organized by religious organizations. Seventy percent (n = 75) of the respondents lived in the same state as the clinic. Eighty-one percent (n = 87) utilized public transport for clinic visits. Median of approximate distance traveled from their home to the clinic was 23 (IQR 11 – 42) Km, with range between 1.5 - 988 km. Median of approximate cost of public transportation to the clinic from their homes was 2000 (IQR 1500 – 4375) Naira (≈ 4 USD), with range between 200–120,000 Naira (≈ 0.4 – 150 USD) per visit
Conclusions: The result of this study shows that a campaign focused on maternity homes, mother-and-child hospitals, and traditional birth attendants appears to be the most effective strategy and the single largest source of referrals to our cleft care program. These settings are the likely first contact for parents who give birth to a child with orofacial cleft
Methods: All consenting parents of children and adult patients attending the cleft clinic of a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, over a 6-month period were included in the sample population. Data collection was done using a 15-item interviewer-administered questionnaire
Results: A total of 107 respondents were recorded in this study. Forty-six percent of respondents received information about the availability of treatment and referrals from the maternity centers where the child was delivered (45.8%, n = 49), while the media campaign contributed 13.1% to our patient referrals. Meanwhile, thirteen patients (12.6%) were informed about the treatment clinic by family members or neighbors who had similar conditions treated at the clinic, and twenty (19.4%) got information from other sources, such as routine medical checks or social welfare programs organized by religious organizations. Seventy percent (n = 75) of the respondents lived in the same state as the clinic. Eighty-one percent (n = 87) utilized public transport for clinic visits. Median of approximate distance traveled from their home to the clinic was 23 (IQR 11 – 42) Km, with range between 1.5 - 988 km. Median of approximate cost of public transportation to the clinic from their homes was 2000 (IQR 1500 – 4375) Naira (≈ 4 USD), with range between 200–120,000 Naira (≈ 0.4 – 150 USD) per visit
Conclusions: The result of this study shows that a campaign focused on maternity homes, mother-and-child hospitals, and traditional birth attendants appears to be the most effective strategy and the single largest source of referrals to our cleft care program. These settings are the likely first contact for parents who give birth to a child with orofacial cleft