Knowledge and Attitude towards premarital screening among undergraduate medical students in MUHAS, Tanzania

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent genetic disorder in sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania. Premarital genetic screening is a key strategy to prevent SCD transmission. However, data on university students' knowledge and attitudes toward such screening in Tanzania are limited. This study assesses the knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate students at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) regarding premarital genetic screening for SCD. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 undergraduate students from MUHAS using simple random sampling. Data were collected via structured questionnaires covering socio-demographics, knowledge, and attitudes towards premarital screening. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate logistic regression using R. Results: The study revealed that the level of study and type of course enrolled were significant predictors of knowledge about premarital genetic screening for SCD. Medical students and senior students exhibited higher levels of knowledge compared to their peers in other disciplines and lower years of study. A majority of the students demonstrated a positive attitude towards premarital screening, with 67.4% strongly agreeing on its necessity. However, a significant portion (42%) were unsure if they would refrain from marriage if both partners were carriers of SCD. Conclusion: Targeted educational interventions are essential to improve awareness and knowledge of premarital genetic screening among university students. Integrating genetic education into university curricula can support preventive health efforts and reduce hereditary diseases like SCD. Future studies should explore these findings across diverse educational settings and include longitudinal designs to enhance generalizability.