Abstract

Background: Genetic testing has become an invaluable tool for the fight against cancer. Yet the general population of Saudi Arabia shows a lack of awareness and utilization of this tool. This study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of the Saudi population toward genetic cancer screening.
Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh. Participants were asked complete a self-administered survey to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practice.
Results: Of the 217 individuals surveyed, relatively few had heard of genetic screening for cancer (16.1%) and even fewer had known what genetic cancer screening was (6.9%). Almost all participants had never been genetically tested before (90.3%). About 82.9% of participants would want to know their results if they were genetically tested and 60.3% were likely to share their results with family members even if they were indicated to have a low risk of cancer. Lifestyle changes were highly likely (84.3%) if participants had tested positive for cancer and general perception of medical advancements was positive (70.5%). Some of the perceived barriers toward genetic cancer screening were: lack of awareness of availability (68.2%), lack of knowledge of nearby clinics (67.8%), results of the test (53.4%), and fear of the effect on family (51.6%).
Conclusion: The general Saudi population demonstrated poor levels of knowledge of genetic testing and a lack of awareness that such a tool exists. Genetic Cancer Screening educational campaigns could be useful in increasing knowledge among the population and reducing the perceived barriers to testing.

Key words: Saudi Arabia, practice, attitude, genetic testing, knowledge.