PREVALENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CONGENITAL TALIPES EQUINOVARUS (CLUBFOOT) IN NORTHERN GHANA: A TWO YEAR RETROSPECTIVE DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Background Clubfoot is considered the most common birth defect of the musculoskeletal system with a reported general prevalence of 1 in 1000 live births. Literature documents that a higher prevalence exists in developing countries. Purpose This study aimed to determine the prevalence and phenotypic characteristics of clubfoot in the Northern Region of Ghana which is the largest and one of the most deprived regions in the country. Methods The researchers collected clubfoot data of children visiting the only clubfoot clinic in the region from January 2015 to December 2016. Parameters of interest included sex distribution, laterality, types of clubfoot, annual trends and overall prevalence rate of clubfoot for the region. A descriptive statistical analysis of the data using SPSS version 16 was made and the outcome represented was on tables and figures. Results A total of 112 clubfoot cases were recorded within the review period resulting in a prevalence rate of 0.9 per 1000 live births. The month of January recorded the highest numbers of cases for both years. In addition, twice the number of males were affected as females and bilateral clubfoot formed 65.5% of case presentation. Almost same numbers of left (n=19) feet were affected as right (n=20) in unilateral presentation of cases. Idiopathic clubfoot was the most common type of clubfoot and made up 67.9% recorded of cases. Conclusion The outcome suggests that the phenotypic trends of clubfoot in the Northern Region of Ghana is similar to findings in other parts of Ghana, Africa and the world. However, the prevalence rate may be an underestimation of the actual situation owing to poor birth defect surveillance and awareness education of clubfoot in the northern region and Ghana in general. Further studies are needed to investigate risk factors for clubfoot and to explain the phenotypic and annual trends in this part of the world. Management efforts also need to anticipate using greater numbers of casts per child due to the majority of bilateral clubfoot case presentations.