TITLE:
Socio-Sanitary Profile of Parents of Children with Spinal Dysraphism
AUTHORS:
Moussa Diallo, Youssouf Traoré, Izoudine Blaise Koumaré, Youssouf Sogoba, Drissa Kanikomo, Oumar Diallo
KEYWORDS:
Congenital Malformation, Spina Bifida, Dysraphism, Meningocele, Myelomeningocele
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Neuroscience,
Vol.15 No.3,
July
4,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Spinal dysraphism is one of the most common congenital anomalies in developing countries. The high frequency of this condition in our countries necessitates a close interest in patients’ parental ancestry. Objectives: Evaluate the parents’ level of education and determine their lifestyle, Find out the parents’ background and determine their financial income. Methodology: This was a prospective, descriptive study carried out in the neurosurgery department of CHU Gabriel Touré in Bamako over a period of one year. Information collected from both parents of a child with spinal dysraphism was recorded on a survey form. The parents’ age, level of education, medical history, professional activities and economic situation were studied. At the end of this work, we intend to draw up a profile of the parents of children with spina bifida in our country. Result: Thirty-two couples of children with dysraphism were included in the study. Ten of them were parents of a case of meningocele and 22 couples were parents of children with myelomeningocele. The average age of the mothers was 24.4 years, and that of the fathers 27.7 years. 56.3% of the mothers and 68.7% of the fathers were non-educated. 34.1% of the women were vendors, 21% housekeepers; 37.5% of the fathers were farmers and 18.7% vendors. Consanguineous marriage was found in 56.3% of cases. 34.4% of women had not attended a prenatal check-up. Among those who had, follow-up was irregular in 76.2%. Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy was carried out in 21.9% of women. Conclusion: Ignorance of the disease is fueled by parents’ low level of education and poverty. Involvement of the authorities through awareness-raising campaigns and preparation of conceptions could help curb the development of this disease in our countries.