title: Factors affecting the utilization of genetic counseling services among Israeli Arab women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the factors associated with utilization of genetic counseling services among pregnant Israeli Arab women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was conducted among 414 pregnant Arab women who were referred by a family physician or a perinatologist to genetic counseling services between 2008 and 2011. Data was collected using interviews, with both groups 'users' and 'non-users' of genetic counseling, based on a structured questionnaire including demographic, socio-economic, medical and cultural variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariate analysis, factors affecting women's utilization of genetic counseling service were high income level (OR 3.44, 95%CI 1.8-6.5, p < 0.001), high service accessibility (OR 0.75, 95%CI 0.67-0.84, p = 0.001), more positive attitude toward genetic counseling (OR 0.43, 95%CI 0.27-0.67, p = 0.012) and lower religiosity level (OR 1.40, 95%CI 0.94-2.09, p = 0.04). However, when we examined the following variable: pregnant woman's age, woman's education, consanguinity and pregnancy' age, knowledge level and the perspective toward abortion, no significant differences were found between the users and non-users groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The underutilization of genetic counseling services among pregnant Israeli Arab women was associated with the following: lower income level, attitude toward genetic counseling, accessibility to service and religiosity. Thus, it is advisable to expand genetic counseling service within this community. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: The Triangle Regional Research and Development Center, Kfar Qari, Israel; Arab Academic Institute of Education, Beit Berl Academic College, Beit Berl, Israel.
authors.forename: Rajech
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharkia
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarabeia
authors.forename: Abdelnaser
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zalan
authors.forename: Esmael
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Atamany
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Athamna
authors.forename: Stavit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allon-Shalev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs / Q000208:ethnology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult