Characteristics and Effectiveness of Premarital Thalassaemia Educational Interventions Worldwide A scoping review

Authors

Maisarah N. Anwar, Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, MalaysiaFollow
Nik Nairan Abdullah, Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, MalaysiaFollow
Dalila Roslan, Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, MalaysiaFollow
Aimi N.M. Ruzlin, Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, MalaysiaFollow

Abstract

Thalassaemia, a hereditary blood disorder, remains under-recognised due to limited awareness, particularly among young people. This scoping review aimed to evaluate the characteristics and effectiveness of premarital thalassaemia educational interventions globally. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, six databases were searched for English-language studies targeting adolescents and young adults. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, and data were extracted using a standardised form adapted from the Joanna Briggs Institute, focusing on intervention characteristics, outcomes and key findings. Most studies involved school students and young adults from culturally diverse, resource-limited settings. The interventions—traditional, technology-based or culturally adapted—consistently improved knowledge (P < 0.001). However, behavioural outcomes, such as increased uptake of screening, were inconsistent. While educational strategies enhanced knowledge effectively, socio-cultural barriers limited the translation into behavioural changes. These findings support the need for future interventions to integrate behavioural change theories, leverage digital tools and address cultural sensitivities to improve their overall impact.

Publication Date

8-22-2025

First Page

773

Last Page

783

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Anwar, Maisarah N.; Abdullah, Nik Nairan; Roslan, Dalila; and Ruzlin, Aimi N.M. (2025) "Characteristics and Effectiveness of Premarital Thalassaemia Educational Interventions Worldwide A scoping review," Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal: Vol. 25: 773-783.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.2908