Background: Consanguineous marriages are common in the Middle East including the Gulf countries. The rate of consanguinity in Qatar is approximately 54%, which are mainly first cousins' marriages. Previous studies showed that consanguinity increases the prevalence of birth defects and other genetic disorders. Thus, we studied the effects of consanguinity in a cohort of subjects with certain genetic disorders in Qatar. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two centers in Qatar (Hamad Medical Corporation "HMC" and Shafallah "SC") including 599 Qatari families with certain types of genetic and nongenetic anomalies. Results: Consanguineous marriages were seen in 397 of 599 (66.2%) Qatari families and first cousin group counts for 65% in Qatari population. In the total cohort and at HMC, all consanguineous marriages had a significantly higher risk of Autosomal Recessive disorders than nonconsanguineous marriages (total cohort: odds ratio (OR) = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.10, 2.71; p = .02; HMC: OR = 2.98; 95% CI: 1.37, 6.09; p = .005). On the other hand, at HMC, nonconsanguinity was significantly related to chromosomal abnormality (OR = 6.36; 95% CI: 1.13, 35.85; p = .036). Conclusion: Our data suggest a significant role of parental consanguinity in increasing the prevalence of genetic disorders; mainly Autosomal Recessive disorders.Chromosomal abnormality disorders were significantly higher among nonconsanguineous marriages. These results help better inform policy makers on social, educational, and public health initiatives that might mitigate the impact of genetic disease in the Qatari society.
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Though transnational labor migration in the Gulf States has increasingly been of scholarly interest, that scholarship has to date relied largely on qualitative ethnographic methodologies or small non-representative sampling strategies. This paper presents the findings of a large representative sample of low-income migrant laborers in Qatar. The data describe the basic characteristics of the low-income migrant population in Qatar, the process by which migrants obtain employment, the frequency with which this population of migrants encounters the problems and challenges described by previous ethnographic work, and the role played by nationality, ethnicity, and religion in patterning that experience. While the findings generally affirm many of the claims made in earlier ethnographic studies, they provide a means by which the extent of these problems and challenges can be ascertained more directly.
This study is the first of its kind using field and documentary research sources. While official sources on the subject have proven the limitations of such data, the study uses a field survey of a sample of 2,787 women students at Qatar University representing 4.4% of Qatari females aged 15–64 and 0.4% of non-Qatari females in the same age group. The study provides important indices and conclusions, e.g., a substantial percentage of the participants have experienced violence, with most violence occurring within the family, from family males such as brothers, fathers, or husbands. It also shows that some women were subjected to violence during childhood and adolescence. The study points to the lack of legislation and official organizations to protect women from violence and suggests ways and means of dealing with the problem in Qatari society.
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