PEOPLE PERCEPTION ABOUT COUSIN MARRIAGE AND GENETIC DISEASE: A CASE STUDY OF RURAL BHALL, DISTRICT RAWALPINDI

Abstract

Consanguineous marriages are highly practicing in Muslim countries. Cultures, strong social ties, Baradri, social and economic were motivating factors of consanguinity. Consanguineous marriages increase genetic defects among people. Cousin spouse, due to closer affiliation of common ancestor, inherits dominant genes and increase diseases. Genetic diseases are reproductive wastages, mental retardation, sickle cell anemia, heart disease, hearing deficit, hypertension, physical handicap and diabetes. Consanguineous parents have weak offspring. Cousin marriage enhances cooperation level and saves from land distribution. The identification of diseases research conducted rural Bhall, District Rawalpindi. The sample size of study was 134 respondents. Quantitative method was used for research. Convenient sampling was used as sampling technique. Respondents provided questionnaire to explain their opinion on cousin marriage, genetic defects and attitude towards treatment. Majority of respondents argued that cousin marriage was practicing generation to generation in spite of aware its impact and to avoid it consider unethical in theirfami/y. Strong social ties among baradri enhance cousin marriage. Majority of people effected from disability, mental retardation, blindness, deafness and heart disease. Ii identified that cousin marriages encourage risk of genetic disease among children.