Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is common worldwide, including the gulf region. Early diagnosis of IBD can improve patients' outcomes. However, early diagnosis is dependent on patients' awareness of the disease to seek medical advice. This study aims to survey the awareness of IBD in the the general population of the western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A questionnaire about Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative colitis (UC) was distributed to the general public. A score of 1 was given for the right response and 0 for an incorrect response giving a maximum of 3 and a miminum of 0 for the three questions in the questionnaire. Results: 1304 participants responded. 29% had not heard or read about CD, while 19% had not heard or read about UC. The mean awareness level score was 1.72±1.19. Females showed a significantly higher score compared to males (p < 0.001). Age group 31 to 40 had the highest score (p =0.002). Moreover, responders, who had a Ph.D., showed significantly higher scores than other educational degrees (p <0.001). Responders who dealt with CD or UC patients, showed significantly higher scores than their peers (p < 0.001) for both. Conclusion: The general population in Saudi Arabia has an unacceptable level of awareness of IBD. Females, young adults (age group 31-40 years), educated individuals (with a PhD) and those who had dealt with IBD patients previously had better awareness compared to the rest of the population. National acts are essential to improve public awareness towards the disease.
Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is common among different age groups worldwide, Including the gulf region. It is categorized into Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis. Early diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease can improve patients' outcomes and reduce the incidence of complications. However, early diagnosis is highly dependent on patients' awareness of the disease to seek medical advice. This study aims to survey the awareness IBD in the general population of the western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A self-administered structured questionnaire was translated into Arabic and distributed to the general public above 16 years old. The questionnaire included questions about Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis and their treatment, in addition to the respondents' demographic data. Results: 1304 participants responded to this survey. 29% had not heard or read about Crohn's disease, while 19% of the responders had not heard or read about Ulcerative colitis. The mean awareness level score was 1.72±1.19, with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3. Females showed a significantly higher average score compared to males (p-value < 0.001). Also, the age group between 31 to 40 had the highest average score (p value=0.002). Moreover, responders, who had a Ph.D., showed significantly higher mean scores than the other educational degrees (p value<0.001). Responders who dealt with Crohn's disease patient or ulcerative colitis patients, showed significantly higher scores than their peers, with p values < 0.001 for bothConclusion: The general population in Saudi Arabia has an unacceptable level of awareness of inflammatory bowel disease. Males, young adults, highly educated individuals who dealt with patients previously had better awareness compared to the rest of the population. National acts are essential to improve public awareness towards the disease.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.