Impact of faith-based organizations on the level of knowledge and the use or willingness to use pre-marital testing and counseling in buea: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of faith-based organizations on the knowledge and use of premarital testing and counseling in Buea. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the use or willingness to use premarital testing and counseling between members and non-members of faith-based organizations. 79.13% of members of faith-based organizations reported that they used or were willing to use premarital testing and counseling, while 81.40% of non-members of faith-based organizations used or were willing to use premarital testing and counseling. Similarly, our study did not find a significant difference in the mean knowledge of premarital testing and counseling among faith-based organizations’ members and non-members. Being legally married was strongly positively associated with the use/willingness to use premarital testing and counseling (aOR: 7.10, CI: 0.07–0.30). Single parents (aOR: 0.48, CI: 2.15–2.81) and especially cohabiting persons (aOR: 0.29, CI: 0.23–0.45) were negatively associated with the use/willingness to use premarital testing and counseling.