Journal
CLINICAL GENETICS
Volume 58, Issue 2, Pages 106-110Publisher
MUNKSGAARD INT PUBL LTD
DOI: 10.1034/j.1399-0004.2000.580203.x
Keywords
consanguineous marriage; frequency; Israeli Arabs; trends
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
To assess the trends in the frequency of consanguineous marriages in the Israeli Arab population in the last 40 years, we conducted a two-part study. For the first part, we re-analyzed data from a nationwide study carried out in 1992, and for the second part, we undertook a new survey in 1998 in four locations: Taibe, Tira, Kalansuwa and Kafr Bara. Data regarding the frequency of consanguineous marriage in these four locations for the years 1961-1985 was extracted from the original survey, and for the years 1986-1998, from new questionnaires. The frequency of consanguineous marriage was highest in the period 1961-1965 (50.6%), but by the period 1981-1985 it had decreased to 40.6%. Over the whole time span of the 1992 study, a significant decrease was observed between the periods 1961-1975 and 1976-1985 (p < 0.0001). In the four-location study, there was a significant decrease in the frequency of consanguineous marriage from 52.9% in the period 1961-1970 to 32.8% in the period 1991-1998 (p = 0.0006). We conclude that the custom of consanguineous marriage in the studied population is still extremely high, and preventive measures should be taken to decrease its frequency and associated complications.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available