Consanguinity, awareness, and genetic disorders among female university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: There is a high rate of consanguinity and related genetic diseases in the general population of Saudi Arabia. Studies have been conducted to address the level of awareness about consanguineous marriages (CM); however, targeted young female studies are still limited. The association between consanguinity and socio-demographic information and the prevalence of consanguinity among educated female university students of Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is being addressed in the present study. Methodology: A cross-sectional web-based questionnaire study was conducted randomly among PNU students from October 3 to November 2, 2019. Multivariable data analysis was conducted, and an odds ratio was calculated to identify factors associated with CM and health outcomes. Results: Among the 637 students who completed the questionnaire, consanguinity was significantly higher among participants than their parents, as 37.88% of the 293 married participants had CM. A strong correlation was found between parents and their daughters; consanguinity was highest (52.27%) in the daughters of parents who were in consanguineous marriages themselves. The general high level (91.51%) of awareness about CM’s consequences and their link to genetic diseases was found. However, a lack of knowledge about the type of diseases was noted among participants. Diabetes and blood diseases were the most common diseases in different CM groups. Conclusion: Despite the high levels of awareness, more targeted awareness campaigns are needed, especially among the younger generation.