Ziady, H., Tayel, S., Shokeir, N. (2001). Premarital Counseling: I. Knowledge and Attitudes of Alexandria Medical Students. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31(2), 335-350. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.235663
Hany H. Ziady; Salwa S. Tayel; Nagwa F. Shokeir. "Premarital Counseling: I. Knowledge and Attitudes of Alexandria Medical Students". Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31, 2, 2001, 335-350. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.235663
Ziady, H., Tayel, S., Shokeir, N. (2001). 'Premarital Counseling: I. Knowledge and Attitudes of Alexandria Medical Students', Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31(2), pp. 335-350. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.235663
Ziady, H., Tayel, S., Shokeir, N. Premarital Counseling: I. Knowledge and Attitudes of Alexandria Medical Students. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 2001; 31(2): 335-350. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.235663
Premarital Counseling: I. Knowledge and Attitudes of Alexandria Medical Students
Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
Abstract
There is strong evidence that genetic factors play an important role in human diseases. Genetic disorders and birth defects are emerging as a major health problem, which has a significant burden on health care delivery systems. The aim of the present study was to assess knowledge and attitudes of Alexandria medical students regarding different aspects of premarital examination. The target subjects were the students of the six grades of Alexandria Faculty of Medicine during the academic year 2000-2001. A sample of 600 students representing the 6 grades was included in the study. Results revealed that most of the students [80.9%] supported the idea of premarital examination [PE] performance. Less than one third 31.4%] had a positive attitude towards the results of PE i.e. they intended to stop the marriage process when there was a probability of having children with hereditary diseases. Only 38.7% of the students supported PE performance being obligatory by law as a requirement for official finalization of marriage. On the other hand, the majority of the students [83.8%] emphasized the free choice of the partners regarding finalizing the marriage whatever the results of PE are.