Alenezi Mazyad, Al-Harbi Faisal A, Alharbi Razan S, Alayed Abdullah S, AlOadah Emad K, Almutairi Faisal, Alanazi Munthir M
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Qassim University, Buraydah, SAU.
College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Oct 18;16(10):e71785. doi: 10.7759/cureus.71785. eCollection 2024 Oct.
Background ENT disorders are common, leading many people to seek medical advice. A common misconception among the population is that upper respiratory tract viral infections can be treated with antibiotics, despite their ineffectiveness against viruses. Assessing the level of knowledge and awareness regarding common ENT-related issues among the population in the Qassim region is therefore crucial. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using a random sampling technique to survey 415 participants aged 18 and above. Data were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The questionnaire assessed participants' knowledge of various ENT issues, and scores were calculated to gauge overall awareness. Results The majority of participants demonstrated a satisfactory level of knowledge, with a mean knowledge score of 9.37 ± 3.59. Significant gender differences were observed, with females displaying higher knowledge levels (61.9%, p < 0.05). Additionally, higher educational attainment was positively correlated with better awareness of ENT issues. Conclusion While general awareness of ENT-related issues in the Qassim region is adequate, specific knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding the treatment of viral infections. Targeted educational initiatives are needed to address these gaps, focusing on groups with lower awareness levels.
耳鼻喉疾病很常见，导致许多人寻求医疗建议。人群中一个常见的误解是，上呼吸道病毒感染可用抗生素治疗，尽管抗生素对病毒无效。因此，评估卡西姆地区人群对常见耳鼻喉相关问题的知识和认识水平至关重要。方法：我们采用随机抽样技术进行了一项横断面研究，以调查415名18岁及以上的参与者。通过在线自填问卷收集数据，并使用SPSS 26版（美国纽约州阿蒙克市IBM公司）进行分析。问卷评估了参与者对各种耳鼻喉问题的知识，并计算分数以衡量总体认识。结果：大多数参与者表现出令人满意的知识水平，平均知识得分为9.37±3.59。观察到显著的性别差异，女性的知识水平更高（61.9%，p<0.05）。此外，较高的教育程度与对耳鼻喉问题的更好认识呈正相关。结论：虽然卡西姆地区对耳鼻喉相关问题的总体认识是足够的，但仍存在特定的知识差距，特别是在病毒感染的治疗方面。需要有针对性的教育举措来填补这些差距，重点关注认识水平较低的群体。
