Background: Hemorrhoidal disease (piles) is a common anorectal disease. Although the majority of patients can be successfully treated with conservative medication and local applicants, some patients need to undergo surgery during their life. Population awareness regarding the disease is essential for avoiding long life-annoying symptoms and complications. The present study aims to assess the general population awareness and attitude regarding hemorrhoids and its preventive measures in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional approach was used, targeting the general population in Aseer region aged 18 years or older. The data were collected using a pre-structured online questionnaire. The questionnaire covered participants data including age, gender, educational level, work filed, and history of having hemorrhoid disorder. Awareness regarding hemorrhoid was assessed using 13 items covering all aspects of the
disease. The questionnaire was published online. At the end of 4 months, data were extracted and exported as an excel file for filtering and errors checking.
Results: A sample of totally 390 individuals completed the questionnaire whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years, with a mean age of 35.6 ± 10.2 years. 255 (65.4%) participants were male, and 45.6% were university graduated. As for participants awareness regarding hemorrhoids, 56.9% of the participants defined hemorrhoid as perianal edema, while 73.8% defined it as perianal pain. Generally, 233 participants had good awareness level regarding hemorrhoids in total.
Conclusions: In conclusion, the majority of the general population in Aseer region was aware of hemorrhoid and its preventive measures. More effort should be paid to improve population awareness regarding the nature of the disease and the new diagnostic tools.
Key words: Hemorrhoid, piles, population, awareness, attitude, complications, knowledge, Aseer, Saudi Arabia
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