Background: Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a medical condition that arises due to the formation of lesions in mucosal lining of gastrointestinal tract.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of awareness of Saudi general population about PUD, in addition to its relationship with different socio-demographic factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included a total of 505 adults from different regions in Saudi Arabia during the time period of April to June 2021. The study was conducted using an online self-administered questionnaire via Google Form.
Results: It was found that 26.5% participants had good knowledge about PUD as evident by correctly answering 75% or more of the questions. Around 76.6% participants had heard about PUD, 74.1% participants knew that epigastric pain is the initial symptom for PUD, 37% knew that prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and Helicobacter pylori infection both are the important causes of PUD, 41% knew that regurgitation is most commonly observed symptom, and only 7.5% participants knew that endoscopy is recommended for patients who are aged 55 years or older. An association between the awareness of PUD and age, educational level, marital status, income, and occupation was found.
Conclusion: This study indicated that nearly quarter of the participants had good awareness about PUD.
Key words: Peptic ulcer disease, awareness, lesions, general population, Saudi Arabia.
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