Assessment of Physicians' Knowledge of Molecular and Genetic Testing in Sana’a City, Yemen: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Genetic and molecular testing is a cornerstone of modern personalized medicine, offering significant opportunities for early diagnosis and disease prevention. In Yemen, where consanguinity rates are high, the prevalence of genetic disorders necessitates a high level of physicians’ knowledge. This study aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge regarding genetic and molecular testing among physicians in Sana’a City, Yemen, and to identify the demographic factors influencing their understanding.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2025 among 384 physicians from four public and two private hospitals in Sana’a City using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics.

Results: Of the 384 physicians conveniently included in this study, the highest knowledge level was observed for routinely used tests, where ≥80% of physicians were aware of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), and ≥65% were aware of thalassemia screening. However, knowledge of advanced genomic techniques, such as whole-genome sequencing (25.8%) and whole-exome sequencing (24%), were substantially lower.

Conclusion: There is a substantial knowledge gap among physicians in Sana’a concerning modern genetic and molecular testing applications. These results underscore the urgent need for integrating medical genetics into continuing medical education and clinical training programs to improve the utilization of genomic medicine in Yemen’s healthcare system.