title: Assessment of the Knowledge and Attitudes of Saudi Mothers towards Newborn Screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the attitude and knowledge of the Saudi mothers toward newborn screening (NBS) program.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 425 Saudi women (only mothers who have at least one pregnancy) participated in the study from different regions in Saudi Arabia and completed the structured questionnaire which sought their views on the NBS services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A majority of the participating women (91.1%) supported the NBS program and felt it was very important and useful. However, knowledge of NBS was found to be very limited and only 34.6% knew that NBS was a test to detect genetic disorders. A lack of communication and counseling to NBS clients by health authorities offering screening is implied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, there is a positive attitude towards the NBS program among Saudi women. However, they have several concerns to improve the availability of medication and formulas, genetic counseling, medical interventions, communication, education materials, and awareness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh 12713, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ayman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Sulaiman
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia ; Glaucoma Research Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Altaf A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kondkar
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Hereditary and Chronic Diseases Control Department, Riyadh 11176, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Saeedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh 12713, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saadallah
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh 12713, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Odaib
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia ; Glaucoma Research Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khaled K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Abu-Amero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires