Int J Family Med Prim Care | Volume 2, Issue 3 | Research Article | Open Access
Bubshait JA1, AlJazeeri FS1, AlMahmood AA1, AlMadahki AA1, AlAlawi MA1, Hasan YH1, AlFudhala MK1, AlYasi AH1, AlAwadhi MA1, Buallay AS1, Janahi FF1, AlMohri MA2 and AlRoomi KA3*
1College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain
2Chief of Mother and Child Health Services in primary care, Primary Care Health Centers, Bahrain
3Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf
University, Bahrain
*Correspondance to: AlRoomi KA
Fulltext PDFBackground: Hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia pose a major burden on health services in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Premarital screening and counseling programs were implemented in order to reduce the incidence and prevalence of such diseases.
Aim: To promote the role of premarital counseling in the prevention of sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia in Bahrain. Setting: Ten governmental health centers in Bahrain in different geographical regions.
Study Design: Comparative study to analyze retrospective data from January 2017 to May 2019.
Materials and Methods: Data was collected from I-SEHA database at Ministry of Health and a sample of convenience was taken to administer questionnaires to couples by phone calls. Study sample data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Chi-squared test was done with a p-value of 0.05 to be considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the 92 couples identified from health centers, 47 couples continued through with the marriage and 45 couples did not. 126 subjects were interviewed and asked about the reasons behind their decision and their perception towards quality of the counseling. Analysis revealed the educational level to be the only significant factor. As for the perception towards the quality of genetic counseling in Salmaniyadecision, rated it as good.
Conclusion: The implementation of the premarital counseling program in Bahrain is considered
effective with 48.9% of the couples not proceeding through with the marriage proposal.
Premarital counseling; Premarital screening; Genetic counseling; Sickle cell disease; beta Thalassemia; Hemoglobinopathies; Bahrain
Bubshait JA, AlJazeeri FS, AlMahmood AA, AlMadahki AA, AlAlawi MA, Hasan YH, et al. Outcomes of the Effect of Premarital Counseling for Sickle Cell Disease and β-Thalassemia on Marital Decisions in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Int J Fam Med Prim Care. 2021; 2(3): 1041.