Knowledge and awareness of intestinal parasitic infections among students at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: Intestinal parasite illnesses are one of the most significant public health concerns in both developing and many developed countries, increasing morbidity and mortality. Various researchers have suggested that illness awareness and knowledge are beneficial in avoiding and limiting the spread of numerous diseases. The current study aims to examine information on knowledge and awareness on intestinal parasite illnesses among university students attending King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Students were given a self-administered questionnaire to complete in order to collect information on their demographics as well as their KAP toward intestinal helminth infections. Simple random sampling was used to conduct this cross-sectional investigation. 213 volunteers from various KAU faculties were included in the study, and the participants were informed and consented to the study’s purposes. A questionnaire was made available online for students to complete. The gathered data underwent additional statistical analysis. Results: The study included 213 students from various disciplines. Male participation was 22.53% and female participation 77.46%. Bachelor degree students made up 89.2%, diploma students 7.04%, master degree students 3.29%, and one PhD student 0.47%. Knowledge assessment on intestinal parasite illnesses revealed that overall, 53.52% of respondents were aware of these infections while 46.48% were not, which was a statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Students, particularly those majoring in fields other than health sciences, have a poor grasp of and awareness of intestinal parasite diseases; hence, there is a need for more initiatives to implement change. Key words: Knowledge, Awareness, Intestinal Parasitic Infection, Students, Jedda