KNOWLEDGE OF PREMARITAL GENERAL COUNSELING AMONG YOUNG ADULTS IN FEDERAL COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AKURE,ONDO STATE

Genetic counseling are preventive measures to sickle cell disease and they are process which parent or at risk individual are given information to understand the nature of genetic disease,it's transmission an options in management. Over 300,000 babies are born worldwide with sickle cell disease annually,mostly in low and middle income countries with the majority of these births in Africa. The knowledge of premarital genetic counseling among young adults in Nigeria is disproportionately low. It has been observed that over majority of children born with genetic disorders are due to poor knowledge of premarital genetic counseling among adults in Nigeria. In this view ,this study was designed to assess the knowledge of premarital genetic counseling among young adults in Federal college of Agriculture Akure,Ondo state. To achieve this ,a descriptive non - experimental design was adopted and 240 students from Federal collegw of Agriculture were recruited for the study using the Taro Yamane's formula. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire which was eventually analysed with SPSS software using descriptive statistics. The findings from this study shows that a little above average number of the respondents have good knowledge about premarital genetic counseling. Finally,it's important for nurses and other health professionals should intensify the publicity about matching genotype before marriage. This counseling should be integrated into many hospital activities and outreaches in community, religious homes and on the internet e.t.c to increase awareness among young people.