Volume 24, Issue 105, September - October, 2020

Awareness of uterine fibroid with prevalence and symptomatic burden among women in Saudi Arabia- A cross-sectional survey

Zahraa M. Alhashim^1♦, Yasir A. Ibrahim²

¹Bachelor of clinical pharmacy, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia; Email: Alhashemzahraa@gmail.com
²BS, MS, Pharm D, BCPS, Assistant professor, pharmacy practice department, college of clinical pharmacy, king Faisal University, Saudi Arabia; Email: yibrahim@gmail.com

^♦Corresponding author
Bachelor of clinical pharmacy, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia; Email: Alhashemzahraa@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Women at the middle and late reproductive years are at high risk of developing fibroids. It is the most common benign tumor in females. So, the objective of this study is to assess the awareness of Saudi women about uterine fibroid and to assess its prevalence and symptomatic burden among them. Methods: A cross-sectional study that included Saudi women (≥18 years) of age. A questionnaire formed of nineteen questions translated into Arabic was used. The included questions were about the demographics, history of being diagnosed to have UF, methods used to for diagnoses, any gynecological and non-gynecological symptoms related to UF, and history of any coexisting conditions. Both online and hard copies of the questionnaire were distributed from 16 May to 05 April 2019. Data was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Software Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Results: The prevalence of UF in this study was 105 (9.93%). The most commonly associated diseases with uterine fibroid were anxiety (55.2%) and depression (23.8%) while it’s most common symptoms were irregular menstruation (49.5%) and bleeding clots (46.7%). The most common procedure used for diagnosis was ultrasonography. However, surgical intervention and the use of medicine were the best available treatment for about half of the respondents. Conclusion: Uterine fibroid has a heavy burden on Saudi fertile women and its symptoms may interfere with patient’s quality of life. Also, patients’ knowledge about uterine fibroid is good.

Keywords: Knowledge, leiomyoma, symptomatic burden, Tumor, Uterine Fibroids

Medical Science, 2020, 24(105), 3805-3814

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