Abstract

Background: Bell’s palsy is an acute disorder of the seventh cranial nerve characterized by weakness of one or both sides of the face. Due to the lack of knowledge, people think that Bell’s palsy is a stroke as it mimics stroke symptoms. This study aims to investigate the awareness of the general population in Saudi Arabia toward Bell’s palsy, its etiology, symptoms, and treatment.
Methodology: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted in five main regions of Saudi Arabia (central, northern, southern, western, and eastern regions) from March to end of May 2020. The study included male and female Saudi nationals and excluded those aged below 16-year old. Data were collected using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire that inquired about sociodemographic factors and awareness about Bell’s palsy’s symptoms, etiology, and management.
Results: The study included 420 participants, with a mean age of 38 (12.1) years, with the majority of male (66.9%) and university educated (69.8%) participants. Participants who had heard of Bell’s palsy were 73.6%, and the sources were family/friends (28.6%) and social media (27.4%). Major reported causes of Bell’s palsy included viral (52.9%) and idiopathic (51.7%) symptoms. Majority of participants identified unilateral facial weakness (41.7%) as a symptom, and physiotherapy (63.9%) and steroids (49.6%) as potential therapies.
Conclusion: The awareness of the general Saudi population regarding Bell’s palsy was suboptimal, especially in areas of signs and symptoms. However, a relatively better knowledge was documented regarding the etiology and treatment of Bell’s palsy. This study shows that extensive educational effort is recommended to change this poor awareness.

Key words: Awareness, Bell’s palsy, knowledge, Saudi population