Predictors of premarital screening and genetic counseling knowledge and attitude among deaf and hard hearing females in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Sahar Zedan Zaien; Amira Abdallah El-Houfey; Hanadi Alqahtani; Hanan Abd Elwahab El Sayed; Wafaa Taha Elgzar; Rasha Mohamed Essa; Hala Bayomy; Heba Abdel-Fatah Ibrahim

doi:10.25122/jml-2021-0165

Predictors of premarital screening and genetic counseling knowledge and attitude among deaf and hard hearing females in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

J Med Life. 2022 Mar;15(3):379-386. doi: 10.25122/jml-2021-0165.

Authors

Sahar Zedan Zaien¹, Amira Abdallah El-Houfey^{2

3}, Hanadi Alqahtani¹, Hanan Abd Elwahab El Sayed^{4

5}, Wafaa Taha Elgzar^{6

7}, Rasha Mohamed Essa⁶, Hala Bayomy^{8

9}, Heba Abdel-Fatah Ibrahim^{7

10}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Special Education, College of Art & Education, Tabuk University, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
² Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
³ Department of Nursing, Jizan University, Jizan, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Medical Science Assistance, Community College, Tabuk University, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecologic Nursing, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Maternity and Childhood Nursing, Nursing College, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Food Science and Technology, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt.
¹⁰ Department of Obstetrics and Woman Health Nursing, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.

Abstract

According to Saudi Arabia's 2030 vision, research should be directed to prevention, early detection, and intervention to reduce all types of disability. The current study aimed to investigate the predictors of Premarital Screening and Genetic Counseling (PMSGC) knowledge and attitude among deaf and hard hearing females' in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Descriptive correlational design was conducted on a convenience sample of 67 deaf and hard hearing students from the Tabuk region. Data were collected by an electronic questionnaire elaborated to the participants using sign language. The results revealed that most participants had incorrect answers regarding most PMSGC questions. Around two-thirds (68.7%, 65.7%, and 71.6%) of them strongly agree that PMSGC is very important, compatible with Islamic principles, and prevents family social and psychological problems, respectively. Older, urban area residents and university-educated participants have significantly higher knowledge and attitude scores than their peers (t=2.239, 4.887, 4.790 & p<0.05), respectively. Multiple regression shows that age (b=0.302, t=-2.795, p=0.007), education (b=0.336, t=2.425, p=0.019), mothers' education (b=0.314, t=2.345, p=0.023), and monthly income (b=-0.337, t=-2.503, p=0.015), are significant predictors of PMSGC knowledge. Furthermore, age (b=0.659, t=4.024, p=0.000), residence (b=0.293, t=2.233, p=0.030), education (b=-0.395, t=3.028, p=0.004), and type of disability (b=-0.443, t=-3.763, p=0.000) are significant predictors of PMSGC attitude. Although most deaf and hard hearing females have incorrect knowledge regarding PMSGC, most have a positive attitude. The study concluded that participants' education, mothers' education, and monthly income are significant predictors of PMSGC knowledge. Moreover, age, residence, education, and type of disability were significant predictors of higher PMSGC attitudes.

Keywords: KSA – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; PMSGC – Premarital Screening and Genetic Counseling; attitude; deafness; genetic counseling; knowledge.

MeSH terms

Attitude
Female
Genetic Counseling*
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Hearing
Hearing Loss*
Humans
Saudi Arabia