Saudi study finds low disease rates in premarital screening

A retrospective study of mandatory premarital screening records from Dawadmi General Hospital in Saudi Arabia found a low prevalence of targeted health conditions, Bioengineer.org reported. The study evaluated records from 2,370 human participants screened between January 2022 and December 2023. [1]

Researchers analyzed data for hemoglobinopathies, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia, along with hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections. According to Bioengineer.org, the prevalence of any hemoglobinopathy was 0.18 percent in 2022 and 0.33 percent in 2023. [1]

The analysis showed that hepatitis B virus infections remained below 1 percent in both years. Bioengineer.org reported that hepatitis C was detected in only one person across the entire two-year period. [1]

Disease burden measures the impact of a health issue using financial cost, mortality, or morbidity indicators. It is often calculated using quality-adjusted life years or disability-adjusted life years, which represent years lost to disability or premature death. [5]