Hajar Souski

Morocco

Exploring Intellectual Disability (ID) in Northern Morocco: Epidemiological insights and clinical manifestations in patients.

Hajar Souski1, Yousra Benmakhlouf1, Mohcine Bennani Mechita1,2
1Intelligent Automation & BioMed Genomics, Biology department, Faculty of Science and Techniques of Tangier, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tangier – Morocco.
2 Polydisciplinary faculty of Larache, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Larache – Morocco.

Abstract

Background

Intellectual Disability (ID) is a significant public health issue, affecting 1-3% of the global population. It is characterized by cognitive, motor, language, and social impairments, often associated with genetic factors, which account for 40% of cases. Despite the growing prevalence of ID in Morocco, there is limited research addressing its characteristics in this context. This study aims to investigate the epidemiological, clinical, and behavioral aspects of ID in 100 patients from Northern Morocco.

Methods

A well-established questionnaire was used to determine demographic, etiological, and clinical factors in the patients. All patients received and approved an informed consent request before their participation in the study.
Data entry and analysis were performed using SPSS version 25 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) and only p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

Our findings showed that 57% of patients were male, with a male to female ratio of 1,33. Three primary types of ID were identified: non-syndromic (92%), Down syndrome (5%), and autism (3%). The most common behavioral issues included autonomy (85%), motor skills (77%), and articulation (74%) difficulties, with anxiety being the most common mental health disorder, affecting 69% of patients. A positive family history of ID was found in 85% of cases, with 26% due to consanguinity. Risk factors were genetic, prenatal, perinatal and postnatal.

Conclusions

As the first study of its kind in Northern Morocco, our study’s findings highlight the importance of early detection and prevention strategies for ID. Additionally, it highlights the need for further investigation into the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms to improve future interventions.