title: Attitude of Saudi Arabian adults towards consanguineous marriage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research on the attitudes of Saudi adults towards consanguinity is scarce. The study aimed to explore the attitudes towards consanguinity and its associations with socio-demographic characteristics in a sample of Saudi adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 386 outpatient waiting-area attendees at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City-Riyadh were included. Participants were asked about their socio-demographic characteristics, attitude towards consanguinity and the reasons behind this.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive attitude towards consanguinity among the study respondents was 48.1% with 95% confidence interval (42.91-53.33%). Social and traditional culture (59.9%) were found to be the predominant reasons for favoring consanguinity in Saudi Arabia. Evidence against a positive attitude towards consanguinity was noted in respondents who received medical information about consanguinity versus those who had not received medical information (42.3% vs. 57%, p-value = 0.008). According to the multivariate logistic model, the odds of a positive attitude towards consanguinity were 2 times higher for males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.147, 4.290) and 4.1 times higher in respondents in consanguineous marriages (aOR: 4.1; 95% CI: 2.350, 7.156). The odds of a positive attitude towards consanguinity were 50% less in respondents who received health information on consanguinity compared to those who had not received health information about consanguinity (aOR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.253, 0.863).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One in every two Saudi adults favors consanguinity however, Saudi men and women differ in their attitudes towards consanguinity. Receiving health information on consanguinity was associated with a negative attitude towards this practice.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Omar A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Alharbi
authors.affiliation: College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Walaa A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Al-Shaia
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulaziz A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Hamam
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hala M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Al-Marzoug
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Anwar E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Muhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bagha
keywords: Saudi Arabia; attitude; consanguineous marriage; consanguinity; gender
references.citation: Am J Hypertens. 2005 Feb;18(2 Pt 1):270-5
references.pmid: 15752956
references.citation: J Community Health. 1998 Feb;23(1):75-83
references.pmid: 9526727
references.citation: Saudi Med J. 2007 Dec;28(12):1881-4
references.pmid: 18060221
references.citation: J Adolesc Health. 2005 Jun;36(6):530
references.pmid: 15909361
references.citation: Prog Transplant. 2012 Jun;22(2):183-91
references.pmid: 22878076
references.citation: Ann Trop Paediatr. 1997 Jun;17(2):155-60
references.pmid: 9230979
references.citation: Clin Genet. 1985 May;27(5):483-6
references.pmid: 4006273
references.citation: J Biosoc Sci. 2010 Jan;42(1):59-82
references.pmid: 19895726
references.citation: J Biosoc Sci. 1997 Oct;29(4):491-7
references.pmid: 9881148
references.citation: J Biosoc Sci. 1999 Oct;31(4):449-61
references.pmid: 10581876
references.citation: Afr Health Sci. 2014 Jun;14(2):314-21
references.pmid: 25320579
references.citation: Community Genet. 2008;11(6):324-30
references.pmid: 18690000
references.citation: J Biosoc Sci. 2010 Mar;42(2):161-76
references.pmid: 19922700
references.citation: Ann Saudi Med. 2008 May-Jun;28(3):169-73
references.pmid: 18500181
references.citation: Soc Biol. 1988 Fall-Winter;35(3-4):324-30
references.pmid: 3241995
references.citation: Genet Med. 2011 Sep;13(9):841-7
references.pmid: 21555946
references.citation: J Prim Care Community Health. 2015 Apr;6(2):121-7
references.pmid: 25389221
references.citation: J Biosoc Sci. 2006 Mar;38(2):239-46
references.pmid: 16490156
references.citation: Eur J Hum Genet. 2014 Apr;22(4):452-7
references.pmid: 23921534