Knowledge, attitude, and practice of primary health physicians in Saudi Arabia in prescribing vitamins and minerals as treatment for hair loss

Abstract

Purpose/Background: Hair loss is a common presentation in primary care. This condition is caused by telogen effluvium and alopecia, among others. Several factors such as drugs, trauma, and emotional and physiological stress can lead to the development of hair loss in addition to vitamin and mineral deficiency. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of primary health physicians in Saudi Arabia on the use of vitamins and minerals for the treatment of hair loss with the research question of what is the knowledge and practice level among primary physicians in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding hair loss. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in primary health care centers in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected by a self-administered online questionnaire. The questionnaire included two parts; the first one is the personal information such as age, sex, year of experience, and current medical ranking. The second part included questions assessing the knowledge and practice of using vitamins and minerals for treatment of hair loss. Data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: A total of 146 physicians were included in the final analysis with a mean age of 41.65 (SD = 12.71). Slightly over half (54.1%) were juniors being general practitioners or residents. The mean knowledge score was 12.6 (SD = 2.83), and the mean practice score was 8 (SD = 3.43), with no difference between the total score between the senior and junior physicians, while some significant differences were noted in some items of both scores. No significant association was noted between knowledge and practice scores. Conclusion: The findings show the low scores of knowledge and practice among doctors about the causes and treatment of hair loss. Guidelines should guide practice regardless of seniority. Future studies should address each group separately.

Keywords

• alopecia
• hair loss
• knowledge
• minerals
• practice
• telogen effluvium
• vitamins