GENETIC BLOOD DISEASES AND THEIR RELATION TO PREMARITAL MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS: A FIELD STUDY IN BAGHDAD HOSPITALS
Among the serious diseases widely spread in societies are those transmitted from parents to their children, called genetic blood diseases. Such diseases can be due to several causes, for example, inbreeding or taking no premarital medical examinations. Those give rise to diseases and other severe complications, such as spleen and liver enlargement and bone deformity. People with these kinds of diseases need constant blood transfusions, treatment and follow-up by competent doctors. The current research aims at identifying genetic blood diseases and the significance of taking premarital medical examinations. Methodologically, the study is analytical descriptive in nature, using a questionnaire to collect the data from an intentional sample involving 50 participants. The data analysis revealed a number of conclusions: Most of those with blood genetic diseases were among males, 54% while only 46% were females. This indicates that genetic blood diseases transmitted from parents to children affect both females and males. Most of those affected were by the age group (6-10) years, 30%, while the age group (10-14) years were 24%. It indicates that the young are more affected by genetic blood diseases. The educational level of the participants was 60% primary, while 22% was intermediate, which indicates that people with this disease were at the primary education level.
Keywords: Blood Diseases, Genetics, Medical Examination, Marriage