Publications by authors named "Susanna Bortolusso-Ali"
Objective: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at risk for neurocognitive deficits that can affect school performance, and psychosocial functioning. The aim of this study was to assess the academic performance of school-aged children with SCD in Jamaica compared to their school peers.
Method: A cross-sectional survey of academic performance was done in a group of children 11 to 13 years of age, using a standardized state administered examination, the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), covering 5 subjects.
Article Synopsis
- The study compared mortality rates in children under 5 years old with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Jamaica to the general population.
- During the research period from 1995 to 2009, 8 out of 548 children with SCD died, resulting in a low mortality rate of 1.5%.
- Findings indicate that effective management of SCD in resource-limited settings can lead to mortality rates similar to those in the general population, highlighting the importance of comprehensive care.
We undertook a cost effectiveness analysis (CEA) of hydroxyurea (HU) in preventing stroke recurrence and/or death. We followed 43 children with sickle cell disease from 2000 to 2009 after having a first clinical stroke, of whom 10 opted for HU therapy. HU use led to decreased stroke recurrence and death without significantly increasing the annual cost of care per patient (J$83,250 vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are relatively few published studies on epilepsy-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) from developing countries and none from Jamaica. A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study of 320 individuals was performed in a small community in Kingston. Residents and employees were comparable in age, sex, and personal and family history of epilepsy, but differed in attained education and occupation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic transfusion therapy is the treatment of choice for preventing stroke recurrence in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). The majority of children affected by this devastating complication live in the developing world where access to regular blood transfusions may be impractical. Since 2000, in the absence of regular blood supplies, all children at the Sickle Cell Unit who had experienced a first clinical stroke were offered hydroxyurea (HU) as the only intervention to prevent stroke recurrence.
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