Newborn Screening Services in Bahrain between 1985 and 2010

Introduction. The incidence of genetic blood disease in Bahrain has declined gradually since 1984 when the Ministry of Health (MOH) instituted a prevention campaign. The national NBS program for hemoglobinopathies was started in May 2007, financed by the national budget. Setting. Genetics department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, MOH, Bahrain. Methodology. The genetics, nursing, pathology, and pediatric departments were involved in the study. This service was offered to all infants. Cord blood samples were collected at birth and were then sent to the laboratory. Results. During 3.5 years after the program was implemented, we screened 38,940 newborns (NBs), of which 17,375 were screened in 2008, 10,248 in 2009, and 11,317 in 2010. The number of affected NBs was 128 in both 2007 and 2008, 58 in 2009, and 47 in 2010, as the average number of affected NBs in 2010 was 4 per month. The incidence of affected NBs was found to be 0.7% in 2008, 0.6% in 2009, and 0.4% in 2010. Conclusion. NBS is an essential step for the early diagnosis and treatment of affected NBs, future recurrence of the disease in the same family. In Bahrain, the number of affected NBs has declined by 75% during the last 20

THE CHANGING PROFILE OF CONSANGUINITY RATES IN BAHRAIN, 1990-2009

Consanguineous marriage is traditional and respected in most communities of North Africa, the Middle East and West Asia, including Bahrain, with intra-familial unions accounting for 20-50+% of all marriages. Significant secular changes in consanguinity rates have been reported in recent decades in different populations. Among parents of 14,237 newborns in Bahrain in 2008-2009, the total consanguinity and first cousin marriage rates over a period of four months in 2008 were 10.9% and 6.9% respectively, while during all of 2009 the rates were 11.4% and 6.8% respectively. The study confirms that over a ten-year period first cousin marriage rates in Bahrain have declined from 24% to nearly 7%. Although advice against cousin marriages was not attempted at any stage in the comprehensive community genetics programmes in Bahrain, increasing the literacy of the public and of the health care providers on prevention strategies for genetic diseases could have contributed to this decline in consanguinity rate in Bahrai

Public awareness of sickle cell disease in Bahrain

<b>Background and Objectives :</b> Previous studies that have assessed patient awareness of the management of sickle cell disease (SCD) indicated a lack of awareness of the disease and possibly a need for more public education. Therefore, we measured public awareness in Bahrain of SCD. <b> Methods</b> : The study was conducted from December 2006 to February 2007. A questionnaire was distributed among 2000 persons selected from among the general public. The participants had face-to-face interviews with either a health professional or a trained interviewer. <b> Results</b> : Most (93&#x0025;) had heard of SCD and 89&#x0025; knew that it can be diagnosed by a blood test, but 51&#x0025; did not know the prevalence of SCD in Bahrain. Eighty-four percent recognized it as a hereditary disorder and 72&#x0025; said that it can skip generations. Females showed better knowledge than males and married persons seems to know more about SCD than unmarried ones. <b> Conclusion</b> : There is a good level of knowledge about SCD among the public, though some of the respondents were confused about the difference between the carrier state of a disease and the disease itself. There is wide acceptance and appreciation of the SCD prevention campaigns being conducted in Bahrain, such as the premarital service and the student screening program

Public Awareness of Beta Thalassemia in Bahrain

Background: Genetic diseases, especially hereditary blood disorders such as thalassemia syndromes impose a significant burden on many countries. Many educational programs have been implemented in Bahrain to increase public awareness of beta thalassemia and other hereditary blood disorders