Evaluation of Renal Stones Public Awareness in Saudi Arabia

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Background: Renal stone is a very common problem in human being, but it prevails in the hot regions more than other areas. The high existence and prevalence of kidney diseases in Saudi Arabia can be acknowledged as a result of certain abnormal food in the Gulf and Middle East regions with a decrease in calcium and high animal protein intake such as (chicken, meat and fish). Many studies explained that kidney problem is existed in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries more than European countries due to environmental factors. There is a great necessity to assess the intensity of public knowledge in a particular population, to make successful strategies and put into practice the management and anticipation of kidney diseases. Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the level of awareness of the Saudi people about renal stones and to compare the level of awareness and different demographic factors. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 420 participants were randomly enrolled from whom 46.2% were male and 53.8% were female. A pre-tested questionnaire was used for data collection. SPSS software was used to analyze the collected data. The relationship between socio-demographic factors of the participants and their level of awareness was calculated using Chi-square test. Results: The findings of the study indicated that the public in Saudi Arabia had a sufficient level of awareness, 88.3% of whom were recognized with a good level of Awareness. There was no significant difference between the level of education (P=0.495), residence (P=0.883), and occupation (P=0.370) in relation to the level of awareness. A significant difference was observed in awareness based on the gender of participants. Females showed significantly higher awareness compared to males (P=0.001). Additionally, married participants had a significantly higher awareness level compared to people with other marital statuses (P=0.009). Finally, there was a significant relationship between age and level of awareness (P=0.000). Our results showed that the level of knowledge improves with age increase. Conclusion: The level of awareness about renal stones was sufficient among general population in Saudi Arabia. There was a significant relationship among gender, age, marital status, and the level of awareness.