Prevalence, Patterns, and Factors Associated with Hearing Impairment Among Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease in Eastern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study

Sickle cell disease (SCD) imposes a substantial burden in sub-Saharan Africa, and the cochlea is vulnerable to the vaso-occlusion and chronic anaemia that characterise the condition. Hearing impairment in children with SCD remains poorly described in Uganda, including the eastern districts around Mbale that carry one of the highest SCD burdens in the country....

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Audiologists and hearing specialists working with paediatric sickle cell disease populations should consider routine audiological screening, as this study suggests elevated prevalence of hearing impairment in this group; specific local prevalence data and associated risk factors should inform screening protocols.

Sickle cell disease is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, and identifying the burden and risk factors of hearing impairment in this paediatric population is critical for developing targeted audiological care and screening guidelines in low-resource settings.

1. 01Cross-sectional study conducted in Eastern Uganda examining hearing impairment in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease.
2. 02Both prevalence rates and patterns of hearing impairment (type, degree, laterality) were documented.
3. 03Associated factors — such as disease severity, ototoxic medications, or recurrent infections — were analysed.
4. 04Findings have direct implications for audiology screening policy in sickle cell disease management in Africa.
5. 05Published in International Journal of General Medicine 2026.

PMID

42703421

DOI

10.2147/IJGM.S634563.

Journal

International Journal of General Medicine

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

2b

Population

Children and adolescents with sickle cell disease in Eastern Uganda

Intervention

Audiological assessment / hearing evaluation