Community Medicine Abstracts - College of Medicine and Health ...

Project No. 179 (B-2001/2)Emiratis' Attitudes, Knowledge and Practice towards Pre-Marital ScreeningStudent Authors: Mariam Nasser Al-Zaabi, Hessa Moh'd Ali, Ameera Saif Moh'dFaculty Supervisors: Dr. A. Carter, Dr. M. Newson-SmithAbstract:Objectives To study the knowledge, attitude and practice of UAE nationals withrespect to Pre-Marital Examination (PME). Moreover, we aim to asses theirsatisfaction with the attention given by the Ministry of Health and the media towardspre-marital examination.Methods Design: The study is a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study.Instrument of collecting data: self-administered, interviewer-assisted and intervieweradministeredquestionnaires. Setting: In primary health centers in Al Ain (Al Maqam,Al Khabisi, Al Masoodi, Al Neyadat, Oud el Tobah). Population: 296 Emiratis (maleand female), single and married, 17-55 years old, living in Al Ain. Schedule: 27October to 28 November 2001.Results The main outcomes of our study showed that people had good knowledge(85%) and high agreement (96%) toward the idea of the premarital examination.There was no association between attitude score of people and their gender and levelof education, whereas there was a statistically significant association between attitudescore and marital status and age with those who are older and married have moreagreement with PME. A large proportion of people are willing to separate if the resultsof PME are positive for infectious diseases (63.6%), whereas only 26.8% of subjectswill separate if the results of inherited diseases was positive.Conclusion Premarital examination is considered a method of preventing transmissionof both inherited and infectious diseases, which are common in the UAE because of alarge number of expatriates, the exogamic marriages and consanguineous marriages.