LAUSR

Background There is a paucity of information on factors that influence the school performance of children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) in Nigeria, despite her huge burden of the disease. Methods In total, 101 children with SCA were recruited at a paediatric clinic in Nigeria. Their socio-demographic-matched classmates were the controls. Academic performance and cognitive functioning were obtained from school reports and Ziler's Draw-a-Person Test, respectively. Factors influencing the academic performance were determined. Results Children with SCA had higher rates of school absence and lower haemoglobin concentration (p < 0.05). There was no difference in overall school performance between children with SCA and controls (59.0 vs. 60.6%; p = 0.256). School absenteeism > 1 week independently predicts poor school performance among the study participants (odds ratio = 15.71; 95% confidence interval = 5.93-41.66; p =0.000). Most SCA children with poor performance were absent from school for > 1 week. Conclusion There is need to address causes of school absenteeism among children with SCA.