Abstract

Background: Road traffic accidents are considered to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many countries. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to measure the awareness of the Saudi population in Jeddah about the alarming signs of post-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage and the importance of early presentation.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study using an electronic survey questionnaire consisting of 41 questions was conducted in Jeddah for a period of 6 months. The general attitude and awareness of the public toward head injuries were assessed.
Results: Data were collected from 310 participants, in which 156 (50.3 %) were male and 154 (49.7%) were female. Findings showed that 56.1% of the people were aware of head injuries. Almost 30% (as a family relative not including the mother) suggested that more education was required about head injuries. Around 208 participants did not know that they should not to drink water after a head injury.
Conclusion: There is a need to raise the level of public awareness about head injuries. Many educational awareness campaigns, programs, and seminars are required to build a background of proper actions after head injuries.

Key words: Trauma, intracranial hemorrhage, awareness, Jeddah, alarming signs