Revista Internacional de Psicologia Escolar e Cognitiva
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A Retrospective, Multi-Center, Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Epidemiology of Noma: A Psychologically Debilitating Disease in Ethiopia

Heron Gezahegn Gebretsadik*

Noma is orofacial gangrene, mainly occurring in debilitated children living in the developing world. It is among the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs) and an old companion of humankind. Noma is a disease of poverty, and its global distribution tends to mirror the economic deprivation of the regions. The condition is mainly located in tropical areas, which is the main reason for referring to the condition as a tropical disease. This retrospective crosssectional study was conducted to assess the epidemiology of noma in Ethiopia. The assessment was based on a review of patients’ medical charts. The medical charts were obtained from three noma treatment centers in Ethiopia. A modified Case Report Form (CRF) was used to record the needed clinical information for data analysis. The study reviewed 163 medical records obtained from the three centers. After data analysis, the onset of the disease was mainly reported among children younger than ten years. Yet the condition has also occurred in neonates, infants, children, and adults. The geographic distribution revealed the Amhara and Oromia regions as major areas of noma cases, with 32.4% (n=36) and 29.7% (n=33), respectively. Cheek, the lower and upper lips are the most frequently reported noma-induced facial defects. Indeed, more attention should be given to these geographic areas and children under the age of 10 years.