Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions towards premarital screening among undergraduate university students in Chattogram district, Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Premarital screening (PMS) programs are a crucial measure to prevent hereditary and sexually transmitted diseases, particularly in communities with high consanguinity levels and genetic disorder prevalence. Premarital training is not well-researched in Bangladesh, where thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies are endemic. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception (KAP) regarding PMS among undergraduate students in southeastern Bangladesh.

METHODS

An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 844 undergraduate students from four universities in Chattogram, Bangladesh. A multistage cluster sampling method was used to recruit participants from science, business, and humanities disciplines. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire, which assessed sociodemographic characteristics and KAP towards PMS. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using STATA SE 18. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Out of 844 students, only 22.5% students had a good knowledge, while attitudes (89.2%) and perceptions (95.7%) toward PMS were highly positive. In multivariate analysis, science students were significantly more likely to have good knowledge than humanities students (AOR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.14-2.45; p = 0.009). Conversely, females (AOR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.43-0.87; p = 0.006) and those with consanguineous parents (AOR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.42-0.99; p = 0.043) were less likely to demonstrate good knowledge. No significant associations were observed between age group, academic year, family history of hereditary disease, and attitudes after adjustment for factors.

CONCLUSION

Undergraduate students in southeastern Bangladesh exhibited poor knowledge but positive attitudes and perceptions toward PMS. Incorporation of premarital training modules into university curricula, as well as media- and community-based programs, may increase knowledge and promote preventive health behaviors.