title: Causes and attitude of husbands toward thalassemic carrier screening test when their partners have abnormal screening tests.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the attitude of husbands toward the thalassemic carrier screening test and to explore the causes of non-participation of having a blood test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 2007-2008, 100 husbands of pregnant women with screening-positive test for thalassemia who refused to have blood test were enrolled by voluntariness. They would fill out a structured questionnaire designed for the present study which was divided into 3 parts; (1) participant's personal characteristics (2) their attitudes toward thalassemic carrier screening test with the score ranging from 1-5, and (3) reasons for their refusal of having a blood test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The husbands had a favorable attitude toward testing for thalassemia, with overall mean score and standard deviation of 3.57 and 0.38. Commonly expressed reasons against testing were the self-belief of having a non-affected child and the inconvenience of coming to the hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Husbands had a favorable attitude toward test for thalassemia.
authors.affiliation: Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chutawadi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vuthiwong
authors.forename: Prisana
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panichkul
authors.forename: Peerapun
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Punpuckdeekoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002353:Carrier State; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009313:National Health Programs; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis*