Acta Scientific Medical Sciences (ASMS)(ISSN: 2582-0931)

Research Article Volume 7 Issue 10

Quality of Life and Photodermatoses in People with Albinism in Ogun State, Nigeria

CE Ijioma1, PI Ejikem2, IO Abali3, JE Areh4, CI Ogwu5, JE Odarah6, OO Odufuwa7, TC Olusakin8, EA Kalesanwo9, AC Amuta10, NO Amoji11, OE Aminu-Ayinde12, PA Ndubuisi13, ES Amadi14 and AI Airaodion15*

1Department of Internal Medicine, Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria
2Department of Community Medicine, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Nigeria
3Department of Surgery, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria
4Department of Emergency Medicine, Warrington and Halton Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, UK
5SFC, USAR Patient Administration Specialist, All Saints University, Saints Vincent and the Grenadines, Caribbean Island
6Department of Surgery, Asaba Specialist Hospital, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
7Department of Internal Medicine, Highland Specialist Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
8Department of Internal Medicine, Vine Branch Medical Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
9Department of Surgery, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria
10Population Health/Health IT Analyst, Prince George’s County Health Department, McCormick Drive, USA
11Department of Family Medicine, J and R Hospital, Badore, Lagos, Nigeria
12Department of Accident and Emergency, Mountain Top University Hospital, Prayer City, Ogun State, Nigeria
13Medical Student, Clinical Class 3, Abia State Teaching Hospital, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria
14Department of Internal Medicine, St. Jude Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt, River State, Nigeria
15Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: CE Ijioma, Department of Internal Medicine, Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria.

Received: August 17, 2023; Published: September 12, 2023

Abstract

This study investigated the quality of life and prevalence of photodermatoses in individuals with albinism in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional design with data collected from 73 respondents with albinism. The majority of respondents were below 40 years old (72.6%), single (69.86%), had primary education (49.32%), and identified as Muslim (46.58%). Almost all respondents had oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) (95.89%). The overall quality of life was reported as poor (43.84%) or very poor (26.03%) by most respondents. Satisfaction with physical health and financial situation was notably low, whereas contentment with mental health was higher. However, respondents reported that albinism significantly affected their ability to work or study, personal relationships, and emotional well-being. Almost all respondents (97.26%) had experienced photodermatoses, with multiple types of sun-induced skin disorders reported. The most common photodermatoses included photoallergic eruption (22.77%), polymorphous light eruption (20.46%), and actinic keratosis (19.47%). Over 45% of respondents experienced skin problems related to sunlight exposure more than five times in the past year. The severity of skin problems was rated as severe (31.51%) or moderate (26.03%) by most respondents. Sun-protective clothing (38.64%) and limiting time outdoors (35.80%) were the most common protective measures employed. All respondents had received support, primarily from non-governmental organizations (41.95%), followed by government aid (24.14%). Nevertheless, satisfaction with the received support was low. Access to healthcare was reported as poor (27.40%) or very poor (23.29%) by a significant proportion of respondents. A substantial majority of respondents (95.89%) had experienced discrimination or stigma due to their condition. Age, marital status, and education level significantly affected the quality of life of people with albinism, while the type of albinism and religion did not. People who had experienced photodermatoses reported a significantly worse quality of life. The study concludes that individuals with albinism in Ogun State, Nigeria, face significant challenges related to their physical health, quality of life, and societal acceptance. Further supportive interventions and educational programs are needed to address these issues.

 Keywords: Albinism; Photodermatoses; Quality of Life

References

  1. Hong ES., et al. “Albinism in Africa as a public health issue”. BMC Public Health1 (2021): 1-9.
  2. Poojary SA. “Photodermatoses in skin of color”. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology 5 (2021): 552-563.
  3. Lund PM., et al. “The health and well-being of people with albinism in Zimbabwe”. Tropical Medicine and International Health6 (2019): 735-745.
  4. Imran D and Zafar M. “Quality of life in patients with vitiligo: an analysis of the dermatology life quality index outcome over the past two decades”. International Journal of Dermatology7 (2014): 830-834.
  5. Darlenski R and Tsankov N. “Photodermatoses: Classification and clinical features”. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed4 (2019): 231-240.
  6. Wright CY., et al. “The Role of UV Radiation and Vitamin D in the Seasonality and Outcomes of Infectious Disease”. Photochemistry and Photobiology2 (2016): 374-381.
  7. Aquaron R. “Albinism in Africa: Stigma, Slaughter and Awareness Campaigns”. Dermatologic Clinics 2 (2013): 211-221.
  8. Baker C., et al. “The socioeconomic impact of a child with oculocutaneous albinism in South Africa”. BMC Ophthalmology39 (2010): 1-6.
  9. Adebomi O., et al. “Community perception and attitude towards people living with albinism in South-West Nigeria”. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice2 (2013): 159-163.
  10. Roli MC and Abel O. “Photodermatoses in the Nigerian albino: A study in an urban hospital in southern Nigeria”. Journal of Medicine in the Tropics 2 (2018): 68-73.
  11. Kiprono SK., et al. “Histological review of skin cancers in African Albinos: a 10-year retrospective review”. BMC Cancer1 (2022): 1-5.
  12. Lund PM and Gaigher R. “A health intervention programme for children with albinism at a special school in South Africa”. Health Education Research3 (2022): 365-372.
  13. Grønskov., et al. “Oculocutaneous albinism”. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases 1 (2021): 1-14.
  14. Feragen KB and Stock NM. “Young people's experiences of managing a visible difference: a qualitative study of strategies for dealing with appearance-related distress”. Body Image 37 (2021): 47-58.
  15. Seyama Y., et al. “Social support and stress coping in adults with albinism”. Journal of Health Psychology 1 (2022): 124-133.
  16. Brocco G. “Labeling albinism: Language and attitudes”. Disability and Society8 (2015): 1143-1157.
  17. The World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL). Position paper from the World Health Organization”. Social Science and Medicine 10 (2015): 1403-1409.
  18. Wolff K., et al. “Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine (7th). New York: McGraw-Hill (2007).
  19. Morojele P., et al. “Albinism, stigma, subjectivity and global-local discourses in Tanzania”. African Journal of Disability 9 (2020): 1-9.
  20. Kromberg JG., et al. “Albinism in Africa: stigma, slaughter and awareness campaigns”. The Journal of Dermatology1 (2018): 11-20.
  21. Bonafini BA and Poz CD. “Mental Health and Quality of Life in Physical Disorders”. International Journal of Mental Health5 (2019): 21-28.
  22. Brooks L., et al. “Mental health outcomes among individuals with albinism: A systematic review”. Journal of Health Psychology, 26.1 (2021): 21-34.
  23. Sengupta P., et al. “A qualitative study on the psychosocial impact of albinism and the coping strategies employed by affected individuals in West Bengal, India”. Disability and Rehabilitation1 (2022): 43-50.
  24. Baxter K and Diehl S. “Disability and Quality of Life: A Global Perspective”. Journal of Global Health Studies8 (2022): 54-62.
  25. Rumsey N and Harcourt D. “Body image and disfigurement: issues and interventions”. Body Image1 (2004): 83-97.
  26. Franklin A., et al. “Children with albinism in African regions: Their rights to 'being' and 'doing”. BMC International Health and Human Rights1 (2020): 1-9.
  27. Lund PM and Gaigher R. “A health intervention programme for children with albinism at a special school in South Africa”. Health Education Research5 (2020): 562-572.
  28. James O., et al. “Perceived social support and quality of life of people with albinism”. African Health Sciences1 (2021): 238-247.
  29. Makgoba T and Msweli P. “Coping strategies of people with albinism in South Africa: An exploratory study”. Journal of Psychology in Africa2 (2021): 160-168.
  30. Ash K., et al. “Psychosocial distress among adolescents with albinism”. Journal of Adolescence 90 (2022): 68-78.
  31. Ali A., et al. “Challenges and coping strategies of persons with albinism in Nigeria”. Albinism Research and Practice1 (2022): 12-22.
  32. Gaigher R., et al. “A sociological study of children with albinism at a special school in the Limpopo Province”. Curationis1 (2016): 1-8.
  33. Brilliant LB. “Albinism in Africa and its relation to blindness”. International Ophthalmology3 (2019): 151-159.
  34. Cruz-Inigo AE., et al. “Albinism in Africa: stigma, slaughter and awareness campaigns”. Journal of Dermatology1 (2021): 23-29.
  35. World Health Organization. Quality of life (2020).
  36. Baker C., et al. “The myths surrounding people with albinism in South Africa and Zimbabwe”. Journal of African Cultural Studies 2 (2020): 169-181.
  37. Bucardo J., et al. “Albinism, stigma, subjectivity and global-local discourses in Tanzania”. Anthropology and Medicine1 (2021): 23-39.
  38. Oetting WS., et al. “The clinical spectrum of albinism in humans”. Molecular Medicine Today8 (2019): 330-335.
  39. Poh-Fitzpatrick MB. “Dermatologic manifestations of photodermatoses in the pigmentary system. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine, 7th McGraw-Hill, New York (2021): 617-634.
  40. Eneanya OA., et al. “Awareness and Practice of Sun Exposure Prophylaxis in Nigerian Patients with Albinism: A Survey of 90 Subjects at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital”. Nigerian Journal of Surgery2 (2018): 120-128.
  41. Matsuoka LY., et al. “Sunscreens suppress cutaneous vitamin D3 synthesis”. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism6 (2013): 1165-1168.
  42. Braathen SH and Ingstad B. “Albinism in Malawi: Knowledge and beliefs from an African setting”. Disability and Society6 (2016), 599-611.
  43. Mabula JB., et al. “Skin cancers among Albinos at a University teaching hospital in Northwestern Tanzania: A retrospective review of 64 cases”. BMC Dermatology1 (2022): 5.
  44. Revenson TA., et al. “Couples coping with chronic illness: What’s gender got to do with it?. Couples coping with stress: Emerging perspectives on dyadic coping (pp. 137-156)”. American Psychological Association (2022).
  45. Molina-Prats P., et al. “Quality of life in patients with photodermatoses: a cross-sectional study”. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology5 (2021): e293-e295.
  46. Lin X., et al. “The psychological effects of skin diseases”. Archives of Dermatological Research7 (2021): 481–489.
  47. AlGhamdi K., et al. “The role of photoprotection in the management of skin disorders”. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology 15 (2022): 123–131.
  48. Sagmeister L., et al. “Access to dermatological care: A systematic review”. Dermatology and Therapy2 (2022): 365-379.
  49. Alavi A. “Importance of regular dermatological care in chronic skin disorders: A systematic review”. International Journal of Dermatology4 (2023): 432-438.
  50. Molina Y., et al. “Living under the sun: Mental health outcomes among persons with albinism in the United States”. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 126 (2019): 109834.
  51. Harris J., et al. “Rapid assessment of disability in the Philippines: Understanding prevalence, well-being, and access to the community for people with disabilities to inform the W-DARE project”. Population Health Metrics1 (2018): 1-14.

Citation

Citation: CE Ijioma., et al. “Quality of Life and Photodermatoses in People with Albinism in Ogun State, Nigeria”.Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 7.10 (2023): 02-17.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2023 CE Ijioma., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




Metrics

Acceptance rate30%
Acceptance to publication20-30 days
Impact Factor1.403

Indexed In





Contact US