Medical and genetic knowledge of the students in the field of reproductive health

Abstract

The questioning of the 1st and 4th course students of al-Farabi Kazakh National University was carried out for determination of a level of the medical genetic knowledge which is necessary for formation of reproductive health. 713 student respondents of seven faculties of al-Faraby Kazakh National University participated in questioning. In 20 questions of the questionnaire there were issues considering the genetic mechanisms of signs inheritance, factors which are negatively influence the reproductive health and measures directed to preservation of reproductive health. The analysis of students’ answers has shown that the level of the correct answers of the 1^st year students and the 4^th year students of faculty of biology and biotechnology was 54,5% and 64,6%, respectively. The level of the correct answers of 1^st year and the 4^th year students of following faculties: chemistry and chemical technologies, physics and technology, mechanics and mathematics, law; history, archeology and ethnology; philosophy and political science was 39,3% and 42,4%, respectively. The comparative analysis of frequency of the correct answers in one questionnaire of 1^st and 4^th year students of faculty of biology and biotechnology reached 10,86±0,45 and 12,92±0,37, respectively. Average frequency of the correct answers of 1^st and 4^th year students of other six faculties made 7,87±0,41 and 8,49±0,32, respectively. The frequency of the correct answers of group of 3^rd year students of the faculty that had the elective discipline "Medical Genetics" was also determined. It made 14,62±0,65 that is significantly higher than the frequency of correct answers 1^st and 4^th year students the faculty in 1,3 and 1,1 times, respectively. The reliability obtained by the Mann-Whitney test data made U_emp = 112.5 (p <0.01) and U_emp = 202.0 (p <0.05), respectively. When comparing frequency of the correct answers of this group with average frequencies of the correct answers of 1^st and 4^th year students of other faculties the reliable difference in the frequency of the correct answers increased in 1,9 and 1,7 times. Thus, obtained results confirm the relevance and necessity of formation of medical and genetic knowledge in students in higher education institutions of the country for maintaining the reproductive health. Getting the medical and genetic knowledge for the formation of reproductive health would lead to an increasing birth of children with physiologically normal health, which in turn will improve the demographic situation in the country as an integral part of national security.