Public awareness of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)‎ deficiency

Abstract EN

Objective : To evaluate public awareness level of G6PD deficiency in Bahrain.

Design: Cross sectional survey.

Setting : Bahrain Schools, Public Gathering Centers (commercial malls and others).

Method : A questionnaire was distributed among 2000 individuals from the public (nonprobability convenience sample).

It was conducted from December 2006 to February 2007.

The participants were personally interviewed by a health professional or a trained interviewer.

Result: One thousand eight hundred fifty-nine (93.9 %) has heard of G6PD deficiency and 1,586 (79.8 %) recognized it as a blood disease, only 690 (34.7 %) recognized it as a gender related disease.

One thousand seven hundred three (85.7 %) knew that fava bean ingestion can be a triggering factor for hemolysis in affected individuals.

Females showed better knowledge than males and married persons seem to know more about G6PD deficiency than unmarried.

Conclusion : The study revealed a good level of knowledge of G6PD deficiency.

Some of the respondents were confused about the pattern of inheritance.

Females are more knowledgeable of the disease, which affects mainly males, and married individuals seem to know more than singles.

There is a general acceptance of hemoglobinopathies prevention campaigns, which is conducted in Bahrain, such as the premarital service and the student-screening program.