General public awareness toward gallbladder stones in Saudi Arabia

Background: Gallbladder stone is a highly prevalent disease caused by many factors, mostly due to a high cholesterol level, and could be predicted by the increase in age, female gender and genetic factors. Most of the patients are asymptomatic. Thereby, this study aimed to assess the general public’s awareness toward gallbladder stones, in Saudi Arabia, and to explore the relationship between the level of awareness and different socio-demographic factors. Methodology: This was a community-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in different regions of Saudi Arabia from April to November 2020. The estimated sample size was 384 and was adjusted to 422 using Epi Info program. Data were collected conveniently using a validated online self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 429 responses were analyzed, of which 245 (57%) were female. Almost 33.7% were within the age group of 26-35 years and 185 (43%) had a bachelor’s degree. More than half of the study participants (63.3%) were aware of gallbladder stones. Some of the socio-demographic factors that were significantly associated with the level of awareness included age (P = .000), level of education (p = 0.000), and monthly income (p = 0.002). Conclusion: The majority of the study participants were aware of the different aspects of gallbladder stones. The current results demonstrated the importance of educating the community about the disease and its associated risk factors and complications in order to reduce the burden of the disease.