Folic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Objectives: This study evaluates awareness of folic acid and neural tube defects, use of folic acid and knowledge of folic acid usage among female university students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Jeddah branch of Saudi Electronic University. A t...

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Autores principales:	Mohammed AL-Mohaithef, Hadeel Alaslani, Nargis Begum Javed, Sriram Chandramohan
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	SAGE Publishing 2021
Materias:	Medicine (General) R5-920
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/c0b8e164cd2f4a98a1e3902b671aa798
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:c0b8e164cd2f4a98a1e3902b671aa7982021-12-01T23:34:36ZFolic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia2050-312110.1177/20503121211059682https://doaj.org/article/c0b8e164cd2f4a98a1e3902b671aa7982021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1177/20503121211059682https://doaj.org/toc/2050-3121Objectives: This study evaluates awareness of folic acid and neural tube defects, use of folic acid and knowledge of folic acid usage among female university students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Jeddah branch of Saudi Electronic University. A total of 400 female students in the 19–45 years age group were contacted to participate in the study using a convenience sampling method. Eighty-eight students refused to participate, so 312 students were included in the study. Demographic characteristics of participants and their awareness, usage and knowledge of folic acid are presented as frequencies and percentages. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute crude odds ratios to show the association between demographic factors and knowledge of folic acid supplementation. A further adjusted odds ratio was calculated to control for other cofactors. A p -value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Overall, 81.1% (253/312) of respondents had heard of folic acid, 30.4% knew about neural tube defects, and 47.1% of respondents reported using folic acid supplements. Marriage was found to be associated with awareness of folic acid (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.64 (1.01–6.91)). Health sciences specialization and experience of pregnancy were associated with the usage of folic acid (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.46 (1.73–6.91) and adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 6.70 (3.09–14.53), respectively). A bachelor’s and above education level was found to be associated with knowledge of folic acid deficiency leading to neural tube defects (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.03 (1.17–3.52)), and health sciences specialization was found to be associated with knowledge of natural sources of folic acid (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.33 (1.25–4.36)). Similarly, marriage was found to be associated with knowledge of the correct dosage of folic acid and timing of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 6.34 (3.50–11.48) and adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.45 (1.93–6.16), respectively). Experience of pregnancy was found to be an associated with good total knowledge of folic acid (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.05 (1.65–5.63); p = 0.0001). Conclusion: The study findings highlight the lack of awareness among female university students about the importance of folic acid usage in the prevention of neural tube defects. There is a need for interventional programs in universities to create awareness.Mohammed AL-MohaithefHadeel AlaslaniNargis Begum JavedSriram ChandramohanSAGE PublishingarticleMedicine (General)R5-920ENSAGE Open Medicine, Vol 9 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine (General) R5-920
spellingShingle	Medicine (General) R5-920 Mohammed AL-Mohaithef Hadeel Alaslani Nargis Begum Javed Sriram Chandramohan Folic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
description	Objectives: This study evaluates awareness of folic acid and neural tube defects, use of folic acid and knowledge of folic acid usage among female university students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Jeddah branch of Saudi Electronic University. A total of 400 female students in the 19–45 years age group were contacted to participate in the study using a convenience sampling method. Eighty-eight students refused to participate, so 312 students were included in the study. Demographic characteristics of participants and their awareness, usage and knowledge of folic acid are presented as frequencies and percentages. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute crude odds ratios to show the association between demographic factors and knowledge of folic acid supplementation. A further adjusted odds ratio was calculated to control for other cofactors. A p -value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Overall, 81.1% (253/312) of respondents had heard of folic acid, 30.4% knew about neural tube defects, and 47.1% of respondents reported using folic acid supplements. Marriage was found to be associated with awareness of folic acid (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.64 (1.01–6.91)). Health sciences specialization and experience of pregnancy were associated with the usage of folic acid (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.46 (1.73–6.91) and adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 6.70 (3.09–14.53), respectively). A bachelor’s and above education level was found to be associated with knowledge of folic acid deficiency leading to neural tube defects (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.03 (1.17–3.52)), and health sciences specialization was found to be associated with knowledge of natural sources of folic acid (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.33 (1.25–4.36)). Similarly, marriage was found to be associated with knowledge of the correct dosage of folic acid and timing of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 6.34 (3.50–11.48) and adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.45 (1.93–6.16), respectively). Experience of pregnancy was found to be an associated with good total knowledge of folic acid (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.05 (1.65–5.63); p = 0.0001). Conclusion: The study findings highlight the lack of awareness among female university students about the importance of folic acid usage in the prevention of neural tube defects. There is a need for interventional programs in universities to create awareness.
format	article
author	Mohammed AL-Mohaithef Hadeel Alaslani Nargis Begum Javed Sriram Chandramohan
author_facet	Mohammed AL-Mohaithef Hadeel Alaslani Nargis Begum Javed Sriram Chandramohan
author_sort	Mohammed AL-Mohaithef
title	Folic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
title_short	Folic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
title_full	Folic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
title_fullStr	Folic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
title_full_unstemmed	Folic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
title_sort	folic acid awareness and usage among females at saudi electronic university in jeddah, saudi arabia
publisher	SAGE Publishing
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/c0b8e164cd2f4a98a1e3902b671aa798
work_keys_str_mv	AT mohammedalmohaithef folicacidawarenessandusageamongfemalesatsaudielectronicuniversityinjeddahsaudiarabia AT hadeelalaslani folicacidawarenessandusageamongfemalesatsaudielectronicuniversityinjeddahsaudiarabia AT nargisbegumjaved folicacidawarenessandusageamongfemalesatsaudielectronicuniversityinjeddahsaudiarabia AT sriramchandramohan folicacidawarenessandusageamongfemalesatsaudielectronicuniversityinjeddahsaudiarabia
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Folic acid awareness and usage among females at Saudi Electronic University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

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