Table 3. English version of the self-administered questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance of genetic engineering among adults in the UAE.
This questionnaire was developed by the authors of this study after reviewing the literature about the topic.
Reviewed for scientific accuracy by Sunni Ebby
| Category | Question | Answer options |
| Demographics | D1. What is your age group? | 20-29 years |
| 30-39 years | ||
| 40-50 years | ||
| D2. Gender | Male | |
| Female | ||
| D3. Marital status | Not married | |
| Married | ||
| Was married | ||
| D4. Nationality | Local | |
| Arab resident | ||
| Non-Arab resident | ||
| D5. What is the name of the city where you currently live? | Abu Dhabi | |
| Dubai | ||
| Sharjah | ||
| Ajman | ||
| Ras al kahima | ||
| Fujairah | ||
| Um al-Quwain | ||
| D6. What is the highest level of education you have reached? | Less than year 12 | |
| Highschool | ||
| Undergraduate | ||
| Diploma | ||
| Post-graduate | ||
| D7. Current occupation | Specify: _____________ | |
| D8. Monthly family income | Less than 10,000 AED | |
| 11,000 to 20,000 AED | ||
| 21,000 to 30,000 AED | ||
| More than 30,000 AED | ||
| Child related data | C1. Do you have any children? | Yes (answer C2) |
| No (skip to C3) | ||
| C2. How many children do you currently have? | 1-3 | |
| 4-6 | ||
| More than 6 | ||
| C3. Do you plan on having (more) kids in the future? | Yes | |
| No (skip C4) | ||
| C4. Does anyone of your children have any genetic disease? | Yes (specify: _____________) | |
| No | ||
| Disease related data | D1.Does anyone from your family (parents/siblings) have a genetic disease? | Yes (specify: _____________) |
| No | ||
| D2. Do you have any genetic diseases? | Yes (specify: _____________) | |
| No | ||
| D3. Have you ever attended a genetic counseling session? | Yes (answer D4) | |
| No (skip D4) | ||
| D4. Why did you attend a genetic counseling session? (Select all that applies) | Because I wanted to know if I am at possible risk of a genetic disease | |
| Because I already have a genetic disease | ||
| Because I was planning to have a child | ||
| Because I already have a child with a genetic disease | ||
| Because I had a miscarriage | ||
| Other: specify: _____________ | ||
| Knowledge of genetic engineering | K1. Have you ever heard about the term ‘genetic engineering’? | Yes |
| No | ||
| K2. If ‘yes’, where did you get your information? | Social media | |
| Internet | ||
| Medical professional | ||
| School education | ||
| Other (specify: _____________) | ||
| K3. What is genetic engineering? | It searches the genetic material’s structure and function | |
| Use of genetic material in different applications | ||
| It examines heredity and variation | ||
| Using biotechnology to change the genes of an organism | ||
| K4. What is your impression of the term “genetic engineering”? | Feels confusing | |
| Feels understandable | ||
| I Don’t know | ||
| K5. Genetic engineering studies with animals are beneficial to people | Strongly agree | |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree | ||
| K6. Organisms with altered genes contain risks for nature | Strongly agree | |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree | ||
| K7.Genetic engineering can provide opportunities for new discoveries | Strongly agree | |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree | ||
| K8. Genetic engineering makes human life easier | Strongly agree | |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree | ||
| Acceptance of genetic engineering | A1. How much do you agree with the use of genetic editing of cells in children or adults to cure a life-threatening disease? This means the disease could still be passed on to their children. | Strongly agree |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree | ||
| A2. How much do you agree with the use of genetic editing of cells in embryos to prevent a life-threatening disease? | Strongly agree | |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree | ||
| A3.How much do you agree with the use of genetic editing of cells in embryos to alter any non-disease characteristic - such as memory, eye color or height? This would mean that all subsequent generations would have the same genetic characteristics. | Strongly agree | |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree | ||
| A4. How much would you agree with the use of gene editing to change a baby’s genetic characteristics if it required testing on human embryos? | Strongly agree | |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree | ||
| A5. If you could safely genetically edit your embryo would you use this technology to determine physical appearance (eye color; hair color; skin color)? | Yes | |
| No | ||
| A6. If you could safely genetically edit your embryo would you use this technology to determine the gender of your baby? | Yes | |
| No | ||
| A7. If you could safely genetically edit your embryo would you use this technology to determine intelligence? | Yes | |
| No | ||
| A8. How much do you agree with this statement “I fear that gene editing might be used in non-medical circumstances” | Strongly agree | |
| Agree | ||
| Neutral | ||
| Disagree | ||
| Strongly disagree |