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

Abstract

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.