Kari Jameela A, Bardisi Ekhlas S, Baitalmal Rabaa M, Ageely Ghofran A
Princess Al-Jawhara Center of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorder, King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Med J. 2008 Dec;29(12):1749-51.
To investigate the level of awareness among female college students on the importance of preconception folic acid supplementation in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs). We have also studied their response after educating them.
This is a questionnaire-based study. Five hundreds questionnaires were distributed to the female students of the 3 colleges, namely, Humanities, Sciences, and Health in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in April 2008. The questions included an enquiry on their knowledge regarding the importance of folic acid preconception, and if they will implement what they learned after listening to lectures, delivered by the 4th year medical students, who were trained and supervised by the faculty members of the King Abdul-Aziz University.
Two hundred and seventeen questionnaires were filled, and returned (43.4%). Mean age +/- SD was 20.96 +/- 2.25 years. Almost 88% were not aware of the importance of folic acid in preventing NTDs. After listening to the lecture, 82.9% thought that they will surely use folic acid preconception, and 98.6% will relay the important message about the importance of folic acid to others.
There is a need to increase the awareness of the importance of folic acid among females' childbearing age. Medical students' involvement in educating college students was an effective way to increase their awareness. Similar educating programs are required, in order to reduce the high incidence of NTDs.
调查女大学生对孕前补充叶酸预防神经管缺陷（NTDs）重要性的认知水平。我们还研究了对她们进行教育后的反应。
这是一项基于问卷调查的研究。2008年4月，向沙特阿拉伯王国吉达市人文、科学和健康三所学院的女学生发放了500份问卷。问题包括询问她们关于叶酸孕前重要性的知识，以及她们在听取由阿卜杜勒 - 阿齐兹国王大学教员培训和监督的四年级医学生所做讲座后是否会将所学付诸实践。
共收回217份问卷（43.4%）。平均年龄±标准差为20.96±2.25岁。近88%的人不知道叶酸在预防神经管缺陷方面的重要性。听完讲座后，82.9%的人认为她们肯定会在孕前使用叶酸，98.6%的人会将叶酸重要性的信息传递给他人。
有必要提高育龄女性对叶酸重要性的认识。医学生参与对大学生的教育是提高其认识的有效途径。需要开展类似的教育项目，以降低神经管缺陷的高发病率。
