Prevalence and Assessment of Habits Related to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Among the Residents of Southwest Region in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Digestive disorders, affecting 70 million people globally, have gained attention. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) causes heartburn and acid regurgitation. Factors like obesity, poor diet, and lifestyle influence its prevalence. GERD rates are higher in Saudi Arabia than in Western and East Asian countries, highlighting the need for local awareness, our study aims To assess the prevalence of local habits and risk factors of patients with GERD in the Southwest region of Saudi Arabia. Method This prospective descriptive cross-sectional online-based study included 372 individuals from the Southwest Region, Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted using a self-administrated online questionnaire to collect the data for the targeted participants. After obtaining consent to carry out the study, the data were collected and computerized using Microsoft Excel, to form a database using all the items from the data collecting sheets. Data was then encoded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Data was displayed and presented in the form of tables and charts Results This study included 372 individuals, predominantly Saudi 98.7%, n=367. The most common age group was 21-25 years (32.5%, n=121), followed by those over 40 (18.5%, n=69). Participants were mainly from Al-Qunfudhah and Haly 27.2%, n=101. Most were single (49.5%, n=184) or married (48.4%, n=180), with a bachelor's degree 66.7%, n=248. Employees comprised (36.3%, n=135), and students 30.9%, n=115. Only 2.7%, n=10 were pregnant. Nearly half (48.4%, n=180) had a monthly income below 5,000 SAR. Most participants weighed 40-60 kg (41.4%, n=154) and were 150-160 cm tall (47%, n=175). The prevalence of GERD was 16.1%, n=60. Significant associations were found between GERD diagnosis and meal type, smoking, family history, and high pickle and salt intake (P-values: 0.002073, 0.000607, <0.00001, and 0.008557, respectively). Conclusion This study can conclude that the prevalence of GERD is not high in the Southwest region of Saudi Arabia. Significant risk factors regarding patients' habits should be taken into consideration and diminishing them in order to decrease the incidence of the disease and improve the quality of life of already diagnosed patients.