Understanding the public knowledge, attitude, and practice toward screening and risk factors of lung cancer in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

CONTEXT Early detection of lung cancer through screening can improve outcomes; yet public knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding lung cancer screening in Saudi Arabia are limited. AIMS The aim is to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward lung cancer risk factors and screening, and understand the impact of demographic factors on these variables. SETTINGS AND DESIGN An observational cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to March 2024, involving 708 participants. METHODS A validated questionnaire from a previous Malaysian study, translated into Arabic, was distributed to participants. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED Descriptive statistics, Shapiro–Wilk test, one-way analysis of variance, Tukey’s test, and logistic regression were used. RESULTS Most participants (95.9%) recognized smoking as a major risk factor. Common misconceptions included viewing lung cancer as infectious (84.0%) or affecting only men (14.4%). Nonetheless, 66.4% expressed willingness for future screening. Younger participants (18–40 years) and those with higher education demonstrated better knowledge scores (mean score: 11.33 ± 2.97 for ages 18–40; 11.42 ± 2.88 for those with master’s or doctorate degrees), with significant differences based on age (P = 0.007) and education level (P = 0.025). No significant differences were observed based on gender, region of residence, or monthly family income. CONCLUSIONS There is a positive inclination toward lung cancer screening among the Saudi public, but there are significant knowledge gaps, particularly regarding nonsmoking-related risk factors and misconceptions, suggesting a need for enhanced public education and screening programs.

Keywords

• attitude
• cross-sectional study
• lung cancer
• public knowledge
• saudi arabia
• screening