Abstract

Salwa Tawfik Abd Al Azeem1 , Eman Taher Elsayed1 *, Naglaa Abd El Khalek El Sherbiny2 and Lamiaa Abd El Gawad ahmed2

Premarital care (PMC) is a worldwide activity aiming to diagnose, treat unrecognized disorders, and reduce transmission of diseases to couples. The study was an interventional educational prospective study; its aim was to assess and improve knowledge and attitude of 200 medical students in Fayoum University towards premarital care services; through health education intervention in the form of lectures and brochures that address important issues of premarital care. The involved students were interviewed by using closed-ended questionnaires, which were distributed twice, just before the intervention and then after 2 months. A special scoring system was used. Total knowledge score showed significant improvement from 62.44±4.98 to 69.37±3.43, especially as regards components of reproductive health, contents of premarital counseling and the role of PMC in prevention of certain diseases especially hepatitis (significant increase in correct response from 58 to 72%). The main source of knowledge was TV (65.5%). Total attitude score showed significant improvement from 7.89±1.1 to 13.1±.81 especially favorable attitudes towards importance of PMC services, convention to receive such services, and refusal of marriage person with untreated infectious diseases with increase in the percentages to reach 94, 92.5 and 90%, respectively. Females showed better attitudes than males towards PMC. The results reflected the importance of health education as a cornerstone element in improving knowledge and attitude towards premarital care. There is need of continuous health education programs for students to increase their awareness and attitude.