TY - JOUR
T1 - Knowledge of folic acid and spina bifida among female college students and employees in asir region, saudi arabia
AU - Alnaami, Ibrahim
AU - Alayad, Eman
AU - Alamer, Hajer
AU - Alshashaa, Enas
AU - Alahmari, Asma
AU - Motlag, Dhuha
AU - Alshehri, Fatima
AU - Alhashem, Huda
AU - Alkhursan, Shoug
AU - Aldehri, Majed
AU - Awadalla, Nabil J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, Scientific Publishers of India. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - Background: Spina bifida is one of the most challenging and partially preventable congenital diseases that can be prevented with adequate amounts of folic acid (FA) intake before conception and throughout the first few months of pregnancy. Knowledge about the adequate timing and duration of FA intake is critical for prevention. Methods: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was conducted to assess spina bifida and FA awareness among female students at King Khalid University (KKU), Abha, Saudi Arabia. The study included three groups: health-college female students (HCS), non-health-college female students (NHCS), and KKU female employees (others). These three groups were attendants at the Spina Bifida Awareness Week that was held at KKU in March 2017. Results: There were 1,366 participants, of whom 11% were HCS, 59% were NHCS, and 30% were “others”. Across all tested domains (i.e., spina bifida awareness, FA intake time and duration, diseases prevented by folic acid intake, and food rich in folic acid), it was found that statistically significant differences existed. The results showed a highly significant lack of knowledge towards the aforementioned domains in both the NHCS and “others” groups. Marital status and number of children were independent variables and showed statistically significant differences in knowledge toward the tested domains. Conclusion: In Saudi Arabia, more attention should be paid to educate women of childbearing age on the importance of FA intake in preventing spina bifida. These results indicate how FA intake awareness should be embedded in junior-high and secondary school curricula to further educate females on the importance of FA.
AB - Background: Spina bifida is one of the most challenging and partially preventable congenital diseases that can be prevented with adequate amounts of folic acid (FA) intake before conception and throughout the first few months of pregnancy. Knowledge about the adequate timing and duration of FA intake is critical for prevention. Methods: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was conducted to assess spina bifida and FA awareness among female students at King Khalid University (KKU), Abha, Saudi Arabia. The study included three groups: health-college female students (HCS), non-health-college female students (NHCS), and KKU female employees (others). These three groups were attendants at the Spina Bifida Awareness Week that was held at KKU in March 2017. Results: There were 1,366 participants, of whom 11% were HCS, 59% were NHCS, and 30% were “others”. Across all tested domains (i.e., spina bifida awareness, FA intake time and duration, diseases prevented by folic acid intake, and food rich in folic acid), it was found that statistically significant differences existed. The results showed a highly significant lack of knowledge towards the aforementioned domains in both the NHCS and “others” groups. Marital status and number of children were independent variables and showed statistically significant differences in knowledge toward the tested domains. Conclusion: In Saudi Arabia, more attention should be paid to educate women of childbearing age on the importance of FA intake in preventing spina bifida. These results indicate how FA intake awareness should be embedded in junior-high and secondary school curricula to further educate females on the importance of FA.
KW - Awareness
KW - Folic acid
KW - Saudi arabia
KW - Spina bifida
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055034493&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4066/biomedicalresearch.29-18-974
DO - 10.4066/biomedicalresearch.29-18-974
M3 - Article
SN - 0970-938X
VL - 29
SP - 3249
EP - 3254
JO - Biomedical Research-India
JF - Biomedical Research-India
IS - 16
ER -