Assessing Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding the Risks and Prevention of Consanguineous Marriage: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey

Ammar Abdulrahman Jairoun,1,2 Sabaa Saleh Al-Hemyari,2,3 Moyad Shahwan,4,5 Hidayah Karuniawati,6,7 Samer H Zyoud,4,8– 10 Eman Abu-Gharbieh,11 Sa’ed H Zyoud,12,13 Mena Al-Ani,14 Mustafa Habeb,15 Maimona Jairoun5 1Health and Safety Department, Dubai Municipality, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 2Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Pulau Pinang, 11800, Malaysia; 3Pharmacy Department, Emirates Health Services, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 4Centre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, 346, United Arab Emirates; 5Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, 346, United Arab Emirates; 6Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Pulau Pinang, 11800, Malaysia; 7Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta, 57102, Indonesia; 8Department of Mathematics and Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; 9Nonlinear Dynamics Research Center (NDRC), Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; 10School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, 11800, Malaysia; 11Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates; 12Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine; 13Clinical Research Centre, An-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, 44839, Palestine; 14Developmental Biology & Cancer Department, University College London, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK; 15Edgware Community Hospital Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, London, UKCorrespondence: Ammar Abdulrahman Jairoun; Moyad Shahwan, Tel +971558099957; 9716 705 6249, Email Dr_ammar_91_@hotmail.com; moyad76@hotmail.comBackground: Several studies indicate a correlation between consanguinity and genetic disorders, congenital malformations, harm to reproductive health, and increased child mortality.Objective: To assess students’ knowledge and attitudes about risks and prevention of consanguineous marriage.Methods: Demographic details of the participants and data on knowledge and attitudes concerning the risks and prevention of consanguineous marriage were obtained using an online self-administered questionnaire. The factors associated with good knowledge and attitude toward consanguineous marriage were investigated by logistic regression analysis.Results: A total of 667 participants enrolled in the study. The average knowledge score about consanguineous marriage risk and prevention was 78.6% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) [77.3, 79.8], and the average attitude was 79.7% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) [79, 80.6]. A better knowledge score was observed in older participants (OR 1.01; 95% CI 1.004– 1.024), females (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.48– 1.94), participants with parental history of consanguinity (OR 1.33; 95% CI 1.17– 1.52), participants with family history of consanguineous marriage (OR 5.18; 95% CI 2.19– 7.10), and participants with family history of inherited disease (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.25– 1.86).Conclusion: In general, the overall level of knowledge and attitudes toward consanguineous marriage risk and prevention was good among university students. To efficiently control and manage the adverse health impacts associated with consanguineous marriage, there is an urgent need to develop and implement evidence-based counseling and screening programs for consanguineous marriage that would significantly reduce the number of at-risk marriages.Keywords: consanguineous marriage, knowledge, attitude, perception, consanguineous marriage risk, prevention, university students