Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to ascertain the level of knowledge and awareness among Saudi citizens and also to evaluate Saudi parents' awareness and understanding of congenital umbilical hernias between healthcare and non-healthcare providers.
Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study of the general population of the Jazan region in Saudi Arabia, between September 2024 and January 2025. The structured electronic questionnaire was used to gather data by means of convenience sampling. The patients who fell into the 18-60 years age group were included.
Results: A total of 402 participants were involved. The majority of the participants were aged above 40 years (42.5%) and were males (64.2%). Although 45.8% reported excellent knowledge, objective knowledge showed that 95.5% possessed poor knowledge, with a mean score of 30.4%. It was only 35.1% accurate that the hernia content was correctly recognized as that of the intestine. There were high degrees of uncertainty about risk factors, complications, and management (spontaneous resolution and surgery requirement). The only factor that was significantly related to the level of knowledge was age (p-value = 0.039), whereas other demographic factors were not significantly related.
Conclusion: The research revealed that there was a significant discrepancy between the perceived and actual knowledge on congenital umbilical hernia in the general population. These results indicate that specific educational measures should be used to enhance awareness, dispel myths, and foster proper healthcare behaviors.

Key words: Congenital umbilical hernia, knowledge, awareness, general population, Saudi Arabia