The impact of premarital HIV testing: a perspective from selected countries from the Arabian Peninsula

Abstract

Although voluntary HIV testing is still more dominant than the mandatory form, in accordance with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Centers for Disease Control recommendations, there are still millions of people who are mandatorily tested before marriage. This article presents policies toward mandatory premarital HIV testing (PHT) in selected Arabian Peninsula countries, focusing on details of the testing as experienced by high-school students, who were participants of a recent research study conducted in the United Arab Emirates. With a high acceptance for mandatory premarital and periodical marital HIV testing among young Emirates, showing a feeling of vulnerability to contracting the infection, possible explanations for such feelings is also discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of PHT are presented with a focus on Arabian Peninsula countries. The author concludes that while a positive PHT result may be socially isolating, the challenge in Arab countries is to stimulate efforts into shifting social norms toward a destigmatization of disease, acceptance, and support of HIV-infected persons with reference to religion and compassion. Recommendations, which consider the specific nature of Arab countries, predominately governed by Islamic laws are formulated. A PHT program could benefit from adequate legislation acts followed by education and counseling based on government policy, religious body support, and an involvement of NGOs and international agencies.

Keywords:

• premarital testing
• HIV
• Arab countries
• testing policy

Acknowledgements

The author wants to thank Polish Embassies in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Doha, Qatar, and Kuwait for information helpful in doing the survey. Thanks to M. Sheek-Hussein, MD, from the Department of Preventive Medicine, Al Ain Medical District, UAE, for his helpful comments. Special thanks to S. Saadat MD, Ph.D. MPH, from Sina Trauma Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, for fruitful discussions on Arab culture and religion issues and helpful suggestions. T. Al-Amawi, MD, Ph.D., from the Department of General and Oncological Surgery, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland, gave invaluable assistance relating to the search for PHT legislation acts. Professor P. Barss MD, ScD, MPH, from the School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, and M. Grivna MD, Ph.D. MPH, from the Department of Community Medicine, UEA University, Al Ain, UAE, were collaborators in the research project and shared their experience and expertise.

Notes

1. Maria Ganczak was working as a visiting professor and project co-investigator at Department of Community Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, UAE in 2005 and 2006.