Consanguineous marriages, premarital screening, and genetic testing

A survey among Saudi university students

Bibliographic Data

ID22069541
AuthorsTahir Jameel (0000-0003-4557-7893, King Abdulaziz University, corresponding author), Mukhtiar Baig (0000-0003-0058-2031, King Abdulaziz University), Manal Abdulaziz Murad (0000-0001-8650-6691, King Abdulaziz University), Zohair Jamil Gazzaz (0000-0003-4920-4197, King Abdulaziz University), Youssof Mal (King Abdulaziz University), Wedyan Eid Alyoubi (King Abdulaziz University), Ghadi Hamed Alyoubi (King Abdulaziz University), Shoug Tawfiq Alaslani (King Abdulaziz University), Hanan Abdullah Alshuaibi (King Abdulaziz University), Ayesha Nawaz (0000-0002-7609-2621, Gold Coast Hospital), Turki Alkaabi (King Abdulaziz University)
Year2024
Volume12
Pages1328300-1328300
Publication date2024-03-21
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2024.1328300
PMID38577288
OpenAlexW4393037217
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited42

Background Marriage among cousins or close relatives, i.e., consanguinity, is prevalent in many parts of the world, especially the Muslim world. Across civilizations, cultural norms, religious beliefs, and economic factors affect consanguineous marriages (CMs); however, such marriages have social, genetic, and health repercussions. The present study investigated the university students’ attitudes regarding CMs and factors influencing their attitudes at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted at KAU Jeddah in 2023. The questionnaire was distributed via electronic media (Emails, Facebook Messenger & WhatsApp). The convenience sampling technique was used to select participants, and descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data on SPSS-26. Results A total of 1707 university students were part of the study (females, 1,198, 70.2%; males, 509, 29.8%). Almost half of the participants, 819 (48.0%), had parents with CMs. Most of the participants, 1,391 (81.5%), had CMs in the family. Half of the participants disagreed that parents consider marriage stable due to high compatibility and the same social relationship before and after marriage. About one-third of respondents said parents believe family marriage transmits cultural values and continuity and keeps wealth in the family. More than three-fourths of the participants stated that if marriage is arranged with first cousins, they will opt for genetic analysis (82.5%) and premarital counseling (85.2%). The personal attitudes of females ( p < 0.001), undergraduate ( p = 0.02), and health sciences students ( p = 0.02) were more positive than their counterparts. Males (OR = 0.41; p < 0.001) and non-health sciences students (OR = 0.68; p = 0.01) were less likely to have significant positive attitudes than their counterparts. Among participants who had CM parents, males (OR = 0.397; p < 0.001) and non-health sciences students (OR = 0.60; p = 0.01) and urban residents (OR = 0.59; p = 0.01) had significantly lower odds of having a positive attitude than their counterparts. Conclusion The practice of CMs is still prevalent in Saudi culture, with almost half of the participants having CM parents and the majority reporting these marriages in their families. Personal attitudes toward CMs were extremely positive. Most students prefer genetic testing and premarital counseling if marrying first cousins. Gender, faculty, parental income, and educational background influenced participants’ attitudes

Consanguinity · Descriptive statistics · Ethnic group · Family medicine · Genetic counseling · Sociology · BRCA gene mutations in cancer · Demography · Genetic Associations and Epidemiology · Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders · Medicine · Psychology · Pediatrics

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