Alnaqeb Dhekra, Hamamy Hanan, Youssef Amira M, Al-Rubeaan Khalid
*Research Department,University Diabetes Center,King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
†Department of Genetic Medicine and Development,Geneva University,Switzerland.
J Biosoc Sci. 2018 Jan;50(1):1-18. doi: 10.1017/S0021932016000675. Epub 2016 Dec 29.
This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitude and practice related to consanguinity among multiethnic health care providers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Using a cross-sectional study design, a validated, self-administered close-ended questionnaire was randomly distributed to health care providers in different health institutions in the country between 1st August 2012 and 31st July 2013. A total of 1235 health care providers completed the study questionnaire. Of the 892 married participants (72.23% of total), 11.43% were married to a first cousin, and were predominantly Arabs, younger than 40 years and male. Only 17.80% of the patients seen by the health care providers requested consanguinity related counselling. A knowledge barrier was expressed by 27.49% of the participants, and 85.67% indicated their willingness to have more training in basic genetic counselling. A language barrier was expressed as a limiting factor to counselling for consanguinity among non-Arabs. The health care providers had a major dearth of knowledge that was reflected in their attitude and practice towards consanguinity counselling. This finding indicates the need for more undergraduate and postgraduate medical and nursing education and training in the counselling of consanguineous couples. It is recommended that consanguinity counselling is included in the current premarital screening and counselling programmes in the Kingdom.
本研究旨在评估沙特阿拉伯王国多民族医疗保健提供者中与近亲结婚相关的知识、态度和行为。采用横断面研究设计，在2012年8月1日至2013年7月31日期间，将一份经过验证的、自我管理的封闭式问卷随机分发给该国不同医疗机构的医疗保健提供者。共有1235名医疗保健提供者完成了研究问卷。在892名已婚参与者中（占总数的72.23%），11.43%与第一代堂表亲结婚，且主要为阿拉伯人，年龄小于40岁，男性。医疗保健提供者诊治的患者中只有17.80%要求进行与近亲结婚相关的咨询。27.49%的参与者表示存在知识障碍，85.67%表示愿意接受更多基础遗传咨询方面的培训。语言障碍被认为是影响非阿拉伯人进行近亲结婚咨询的一个限制因素。医疗保健提供者在近亲结婚咨询方面存在严重的知识匮乏，这反映在他们对近亲结婚咨询的态度和行为上。这一发现表明，在近亲结婚夫妇咨询方面，需要更多的本科和研究生医学及护理教育与培训。建议在沙特王国目前的婚前筛查和咨询项目中纳入近亲结婚咨询。
