Thyroid cancer awareness among women in the asir region of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) is one of the most common malignancies among females in Saudi Arabia, accounting for approximately 11% of newly diagnosed cancers in the kingdom. Over the past few decades, an increasing prevalence of TC has been documented in the kingdom. In Saudi Arabia, and especially in the Asir region, no studies have been conducted to address TC awareness among females. Objectives: This study aims to assess the level of TC awareness among women in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. This study focuses on knowledge of the risk factors, signs, prevalence, treatment, and diagnosis of TC. Materials and Methods: This study uses a cross-sectional survey design. An online survey was conducted among 310 females in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia over 3 months. The questionnaire was divided into four subsections, namely, a demographic section, a knowledge score section, an awareness section, and practices to detect TC section. Results: A total of 75 (24.8%) participants had a low level of knowledge about TC, while only five (1.7%) participants had a high level of knowledge about TC, with the remainder having a moderate level of knowledge. The knowledge scores of participants were found to be significantly correlated with their education levels (0.048), while knowledge of TC did not significantly correlate with their age group (0.790), marital status (0.471), or number of visits to a health center per year (0.211). The majority of the respondents claimed that TC is uncommon in Saudi Arabia (54.6%), more common in males/females (75.2%), and more common in those aged over 40 years. Conclusion: The study depicted the suboptimal awareness levels of women regarding TC in the Asir region and its association with education levels. Women's awareness of TC in routine practice is urgently required.