A BSTRACT Context: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a significant public health burden; however, the awareness and knowledge of PAD among the general population remain low. Aims: To assess the knowledge, awareness, and risk factors of PAD in the general population of Saudi Arabia (SA). Settings and Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods and Material: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from June to December 2024 among SA’s general population. An electronic questionnaire was used to assess knowledge and awareness of PAD risk factors. Results: We included 556 participants. Most (461 participants, 82.9%) did not have or did not know anyone with PAD (Group A), whereas 95 participants (17.1%) had or knew someone with PAD (Group B). Regarding comparing knowledge between the two groups, Group B showed significantly more knowledge of terms such as critical limb ischemia and intermediate claudication ( P < 0.001). Group A relied heavily on the Internet as an information source (92.0% vs. 83.2%, P = 0.013). In contrast, Group B relied more on accurate sources such as medical books (52.6% vs. 40.6%, P = 0.040). The knowledge of surgery as a treatment for PAD was significantly higher in Group B (72.6% vs. 59.9%, P = 0.027). Conclusions: This study highlights significant gaps in awareness and knowledge of PAD, which could cause poor recognition of symptoms and delayed diagnosis. Therefore, targeted educational initiatives are crucial for addressing these knowledge deficits, promoting proactive health-seeking behaviors, and improving outcomes in individuals with PAD.
Alkhatieb et al. (Thu,) studied this question.