Knowledge and perception of otosclerosis among women in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND

Otosclerosis is a bone disease of the ear that primarily affects women and can lead to progressive hearing loss. Delays in diagnosis and treatment may occur due to limited awareness of the condition. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and perception of otosclerosis among women in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted over 3 months, including 508 Saudi women aged 18 years and above. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 30. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to examine differences in knowledge and perception across demographic groups.

RESULTS

Most participants were between 18 and 30 years of age (70.7%), held a bachelor's degree (63.4%), were students (51.8%), single (66.5%), and residing in the central region (77.0%). The mean knowledge score was 2.44 (SD ± 2.03), indicating low awareness, while the mean perception score was 18.18 (SD ± 3.32), reflecting generally moderate positive attitudes. No statistically significant differences in knowledge or perception were observed across age groups, education levels, or regions (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Public understanding of otosclerosis in Saudi Arabia is inadequate, and reliance on unofficial sources may contribute to misinformation. Efforts to improve health literacy through public campaigns, reliable online resources, and greater involvement of healthcare providers are essential.