Abstract

Background: Minimal information exists about the awareness of risk factors for developing hernias among A1-Qassim population, Saudi Arabia. The present study aims to assess the awareness toward the risk factors of hernia and promotes the early diagnosis among Al-Qassim population.
Methodology: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Al-Qassim region. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from participants. The data were entered into and processed using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences software version 21 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY).
Results: The study obtained information from 446 respondents. Sampled respondents (75.1%) consisted of more females (75.1%) compared to males (24.4%). Gender and responses of the association between hernia and asthma were not significantly associated (p = 0.309). A significant association between knowledge of lifting heavy weights and age of respondents between 22 and 28 years was found (p < 0.007).
Conclusions: Hernia knowledge was not significantly different across genders. However, this knowledge was higher in individuals aged 22–28 years and also seemed to increase with an increase in the education level.

Key words: Hernia, demographics, knowledge, awareness