Awareness and Attitude of University Students About Screening and Testing for Hemoglobinopathies: Case Study of the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Hemoglobinopathies can disturb a patient’s life style leading to community problems. Premarital screening is an important tool to control and minimize hemoglobinopathies. This study aimed to assess and improve the awareness and attitude of King Khalid University (KKU) [Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)] students in the Aseer Region, regarding hemoglobinopathies and the National Premarital Screening Programme (NPMS) in addition to screening for hemoglobin (Hb) variants of students who agreed to participate. This study was an interventional educational prospective study of electronic-lectures (e-lectures) that addressed some important issues of hemoglobinopathies and premarital screening. Six hundred and eleven students were interviewed during the academic year 2017/2018, using closed-ended questionnaires that distributed before and after intervention. Blood samples were taken from 114 students who agreed to check their Hb type by the D-10 Hemoglobin Testing System. The results revealed significant changes in knowledge and attitude of students toward hemoglobinopathies and premarital counseling after intervention. These results reflected the need for easily accessible and continuous health education programs for students to increase their awareness and attitude toward hemoglobinopathies. Laboratory results for 114 students revealed seven cases with microcytic hypochromic anemia (6.1%); they were all females. Blood screening for Hb variants revealed another two females (1.75%) with sickle cell trait (Hb AS). Electronic-health (E-health) is an efficient tool for improving the awareness and attitude of the community toward hemoglobinopathies. Screening blood tests for detection of hemoglobinopathies should be provided to young adults at an earlier stage (before marriage) to decrease the incidence of hereditary diseases in the community.

Keywords:

• Attitude
• health education about hemoglobinopathies
• intervention program
• knowledge
• premarital counseling

Acknowledgements

The authors express their appreciation to the KKU students, Abha, Aseer Region, KSA (female and male sections), for their valuable participation in answering the questionnaires and donating blood samples that greatly helped in accomplishing this study. The authors would like to express their special thanks to their outstanding students: Ahmad Mohamad Ahmad Alrezini, Sultan Abdul-Rahman Sultan Alshahrani, Jamal Saeed Nassir Nassir and Adnan Essam Abdulah Makhssom, who had a valued participation in carrying out this research project.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Scientific Research Deanship at King Khalid University through General Research Project under grant number [G.R.P-347-38]; the authors express their deep appreciation to the deanship for full funding of this study as well as the deanship of E-learning of KKU for supporting this project.