title: Factors influencing the decision to participate in medical premarital examinations in Hubei Province, Mid-China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the attitudes of premarital couples towards the premarital screening program after the abolition of compulsory screening in China and to study the factors influencing participation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 1st 2010 to August 31st 2010, 650 people who registered for marriage at the civil affairs bureau of Wuhan, Suizhou, Zaoyang in Hubei province were studied using questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to examine the factors influencing participation in the premarital screening program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The premarital screening rate was 34.8% (95% Confidence Interval: 31.0% to 38.5%). Several demographic factors (age, residence, profession), awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards premarital screening all had significant influence on participation in the premarital screening program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Promotion activities and health education to improve knowledge and attitudes to premarital screening will help increase the rate of voluntary premarital screening.
authors.affiliation: School of public health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Peigang
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Tyler J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Vander Weele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011291:Premarital Examinations / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult