Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on Prevention of Iron Deficiency Anaemia among Various Regions in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background: Iron deficiency anaemia is characterised by the lack of iron storage, which affects the production of haemoglobin and, subsequently, the oxygen carried to the tissue. It is associated with complications during lifetime and morbidity globally. The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia is about 1.6 billion people, which accounts for around 25% of the world’s population, according to the World Health Organization.  Whereas, in Saudi Arabia, 30-40% of women of reproductive age and 20-30% of children in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia suffer from iron deficiency anaemia. The assessment of the knowledge, practices, and attitudes towards iron deficiency anaemia in different cities in Saudi Arabia indicates that the Saudi population has poor knowledge, negative attitudes and practices towards iron deficiency anaemia.Aim: The study evaluates knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding preventing iron deficiency anaemia among the Saudi population in four regions (south, west, east and Middle).Methods: This observational cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out from June 2023 to August 2024 in various regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (West, South, East and Middle regions). Data was collected using a structured questionnaire containing socio-demographic, knowledge-related, attitude and practice-related questions on preventing iron deficiency anaemia among the Saudi population. 272 samples were able to be collected and processed for descriptive statistics.Results: The statistical analysis revealed that most of the Saudi population had an average knowledge of iron deficiency anaemia, and only 30% had a good knowledge. In addition, participants with a positive attitude towards iron deficiency anaemia were few, around 17.5%. However, participants with poor practice in preventing iron deficiency anaemia were elevated, around 19.5% of total participants. The correlation analysis indicates that a significant correlation was observed between total practice and total attitude.Conclusion: The majority of the Saudi population exhibits average knowledge, poor practices, and a negative attitude toward iron deficiency anaemia. Thus, poor practice toward iron deficiency anaemia could be a fundamental factor in the high burden of anaemia in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.