Effect of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Sessions on Premarital Clients' Willingness to Perform Comprehensive SMA Genetic Testing

Mohamed Elsayed Afefy, Hend; Ebrahim Ahmed, Eman; Abd-elmoaty Azab Yousef, Warda; Mohamed Erfan, Nany; Allah Wagdy Farag, Ayiat

doi:10.21608/ejhc.2025.452079

Effect of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Sessions on Premarital Clients' Willingness to Perform Comprehensive SMA Genetic Testing

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Community Health Nursing at Ain shams Specialized Hospital Ain shams university

² Community Health Nursing - Faculty of Nursing - Modern University for Technology and Information (MTI)

³ Medical Surgical Nursing - Faculty of Nursing - Modern University for Technology and Information (MTI)

10.21608/ejhc.2025.452079

Abstract

Background: Premarital counselling in healthcare has a positive reflection on health and wellbeing of future families and inurn the whole community because it makes premarital clients feel energized, empowered with sufficient knowledge. Spinal muscular atrophy is caused by a deficiency of the ubiquitous protein survival of motor neuron. Comprehensive SMA genetic testing, combined with appropriate genetic counseling could be important preventive services. Aim of the study: was to examine the effect of spinal muscular atrophy awareness sessions on premarital clients' willingness of to perform comprehensive SMA genetic testing. Design: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized to achieve the aim of the study. Subjects: A total of 742 of premarital clients were participated in the study, a convenience sampling technique was utilized to involve participants. Setting: The study was conducted in the 6 medical centers which presents premarital services at Cairo Governorate including" Elamiria, Sakre Koraish, Elfagala, Eltebien, Alandalus, and Masr El-kadima childcare center". Tools of data collection: Two tools were used for data collection: Spinal Muscular Atrophy Knowledge Questionnaire, willingness to perform comprehensive SMA genetic testing scale. Results: After implementing awareness sessions, there was a highly statistically significant improvement in Spinal Muscular Atrophy knowledge of premarital clients(p=0.001). Furthermore, Spinal Muscular Atrophy awareness sessions positively correlated to premarital clients' willingness to perform comprehensive SMA Genetic Testing. Conclusion: Spinal muscular atrophy awareness sessions had a positive effect on premarital clients' willingness to perform comprehensive SMA Genetic Testing. Recommendations: Ministry of Health should apply Spinal muscular atrophy awareness sessions as a part of premarital counselling to help in decreasing disease Key words: Awareness sessions, Comprehensive SMA Genetic Testing, Spinal muscular atrophy. incidence.

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