Help-seeking behavior of adults with health problems in Saudi Arabia

A questionnaire was designed to find out the help-seeking behavior of the adult population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Five hundred sixty-six responders suffered a disturbance of health during the 4 weeks preceding the study. The majority (77%) of these "sick responders," typically married and educated subjects, sought help of medically trained practitioners, mainly from primary health centers. One hundred twenty-one (21.4%) cases had specialist treatment, 79% of which were by self-referral. Ninety-six (17%) cases consulted local healers. A high proportion of the "sick responders" were unaware of their diagnoses after consulting their physicians (29.4%), local healers (33%), or pharmacists (43%). There is still a need to increase health education about correct use of the referral system.