Motivational Interviewing and Compliance with Carriers Screening for Beta-Thalassemia Trait in Zahedan Premarital Counseling Center, Iran

Abstract

Background: Screening and early genetic counseling programs for beta-thalassemia (BT) are of paramount importance during the pre-pregnancy period in high-risk individuals. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of motivational interviewing on couples` compliance with carriers screening for BT. Methods: The study was performed on 80 couples with suspected blood indexes for thalassemia trait (mean corpuscular volume (MCV) < 80 and/or mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) < 27 and hemoglobin (Hb) A2 ≤ 3.5), referred to Zahedan premarital counseling center (PCC), Iran, from April 2015 to January 2016. The participants were randomly divided into motivational interviewing (MI) and routine care (control) groups; compliance was considered as number of couples referring to the center after 30 days post-intervention for re-evaluation of blood indexes, and in the second phase, if needed, referring to Zahedan prenatal diagnosis (PND) center for genetic testing, within five months. Results: In the first phase, noncompliance rates were 9.86% and 26.03% for the motivational interviewing (MI) and control groups, respectively. Preventive fraction (PF) indicated a 62% reduction in noncompliance after one month. In the second phase, five months after MI, noncompliance rates were 79.17% and 94.74% in the MI and control groups, respectively (PF=0.17). Conclusions: The MI group showed better compliance with short-term BT screening program, evidenced by higher rates of referral to the PCC.