Background: Lead is one of the deadliest naturally occurring toxic metals found in the Earths soil. It has a widespread usage which resulted in extensive environmental hazards, human exposure and significant health problems for many people around different parts of the world. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of mothers about symptoms and hazards of lead poisoning among children in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Methods: This is a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study enrolling a total of 500 randomly Saudi mothers ensuring diversity in age range and educational stages. Descriptive analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Awareness levels for about symptoms and hazards of lead poisoning among children were calculated as absolute frequencies and were reported as overall percentages.
Results: A number of 500 participants of mothers to children in Saudi Arabia has participated in this study. About 57 percent of the sample were between 26 and 45 years of old and 32 percent of the sample were over 46 years of age while least percentage were of young mothers from 18 to 25 years of age.
A large percentage of the sample (68%) believe that lead poisoning is a life-threatening condition but also a large percent (41%) doesnt know whether poisoning is a chronic condition or not. While a promising number of the sample (68%) understand that poisoning with lead is not an inherited case.
Conclusion: The study showed that awareness was suboptimal, based on current guidelines. To reduce this burden and increase awareness, improved prevention programs should be provided, as well as increased community education with causes, symptoms and signs of lead poisoning.
Key words: Cross section, awareness, risk factors, poising, lead, children, mothers
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