Abstract

Background: This study aimed to assess patients’ knowledge regarding anesthesia and anesthesiology and to analyze the association between their level of understanding and demographic variables.
Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted from October 2024 to April 1, 2025. Following written informed consent, patients who had completed their pre-operative anesthesia interview at King Fahd University Hospital were engaged in a face-to-face interview to complete a survey.
Results: The study involved 145 participants with a nearly even gender distribution. The majority were aged 31-40 years and held a graduate-level education. Only 38.6% were found to have sufficient knowledge about anesthesia and anesthesiologists. While knowledge levels varied, no statistically significant associations were observed with most demographic factors. Most participants understood the anesthesiologist’s role in intra operative monitoring and preoperative care. Statistical analysis revealed no significant associations between anesthesia knowledge and prior surgical discussions, fear, or interest in additional information. However, education level demonstrated a significant impact on knowledge scores (p = 0.009), with higher scores observed among graduates and postgraduates.
Conclusion: The majority of participants had low knowledge scores, even among those with sufficient educational attainment. To address this issue, it was recommended that a combination of enhanced clinical communication, public awareness campaigns, tailored educational materials, and fear mitigation strategies be implemented.

Key words: General anesthesia, local anesthesia, fear, attitude, Saudi Arabia