Assessment of Knowledge and Practice of Healthcare Providers in Saudi Arabia Regarding Clostridioides difficile Infection Diagnosis and Management: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study

Abstract

Masaad Saeed Almutairi,1 Faris S Alnezary,2 Rasil O Alsuwaylim,1 Ibrahim Alsulaymi,1 Omar A Almohammed,3,4 Abrar K Thabit5 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Pharmacoeconomics Research Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Pharmacy Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Masaad Saeed Almutairi, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Qassim, 51452, Saudi Arabia, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]: Diagnosis of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) depends on clinical presentation and laboratory testing. Stool diagnostic tests are essential for effective detection of toxigenic C. difficile strains. No study to date has evaluated the readability of microbiology labs in Saudi Arabia to test for CDI and evaluated the knowledge and practice of healthcare providers regarding CDI management. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia regarding CDI diagnosis and treatment.Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, questionnaire-based study was conducted on healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia, primarily physicians and clinical pharmacists. The questionnaire was developed based on a literature review and input from infectious diseases experts. The questionnaire was administered online. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: Of 183 respondents, 27.9% had adequate knowledge on CDI diagnosis and management. The majority were internal medicine specialists (37.7%) working in governmental or semi-governmental hospitals (80.9%) in central (46.6%) or southern (30.1%) regions of Saudi Arabia. Most participants assessed laxative use (86.3%) and reported positive C. difficile specimens to infection control (67.2%). However, knowledge varied, with 57.4% supporting unnecessary retesting and 53% assuming positive PCR test indicates moderate CDI probability. Factors such as specialization, hospital accreditation status, and bed capacity influenced knowledge levels (p< 0.01 for all factors).Conclusion: The study revealed a significant knowledge gap among Saudi healthcare providers regarding CDI diagnosis, management, and severity classification, highlighting the need for improved education and adherence to guidelines to improve patient outcomes and reduce recurrence risks.Keywords: Clostridioides difficile, Clostridium difficile, diagnosis, polymerase chain reaction, knowledge, Saudi Arabia

Keywords

• clostridioides difficile
• clostridium difficile
• diagnosis
• polymerase chain reaction
• knowledge
• saudi arabia