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Volume 27, Issue 131, January 2023

Knowledge and awareness of sickle cell disease among general population in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Hyder Osman Mighani¹, Asmaa Hamed Albuhairy², Khalid Mohammed Aljohani³, Abdulaziz Abdulkhaliq Alwakeel², Yazeed Ahmed Albalawi², Nouf Mohammed Alrabiah², Sarah Majed Alquayr², Mohammed Mansour Alsharif², Aeshah Hamed Albuhayri², Amal Muhaysin Alruwaili⁴, Laila Khalid Aljifry⁵

¹Professor and Consultant, Internal Medicine Department, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
²Medical Student, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
³Medical Interns, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
⁴Genaral Physician, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
⁵Medical Student, Batterjee Medical College, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Background: A group of inherited blood disorders are known as (sickle cell disease, SCD) that are life-long and afflict millions of people worldwide. This is frequently triggered by factors such as SCD has a global frequency of around 112 per 100,000 people. SCD is most commonly recorded in Sub- Saharan African countries, Saudi Arabia, India, South and Central America and Mediterranean regions. We aimed to measure community SCD knowledge & awareness in the general public in Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study was conducted during the period among general-public in Tabuk, involved a total of 386 persons from Tabuk older than 18 for both gender all nationalities. A structured questionnaire modified from previous literature was used to collect demographic data and the level of awareness regarding sickle cell disease. Results: The study included 386 adult participants in the Tabuk region, Saudi Arabia who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, the majority (47.4%) in the age range (18-25) years. Most of the participants had a good level of knowledge, 24.1% of (18 to 25 years old) and 10.1% of (26 to 35 years old), as well as 7.3% and 6.55% of (36 to 45 years old) and (more than 45 years old), had good knowledge. Conclusion: There was a good level of knowledge about SCD prevalence in KSA among the study participants.

Keywords: Sickle cell disease, Awareness, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia