Wound Care Knowledge and Perception of the Saudi General Population in Riyadh Region

Objective: Proper wound care and management are essential in health care facilities to prevent complications. There are many statistical studies on wound management both globally and in the Middle East. However, patient perception and knowledge regarding wound care have not been assessed in depth. Therefore, this study explored patient perception, attitude, and knowledge of wound care as well as the factors influencing patient perception among the Saudi population. Approach: This cross-sectional study included 414 individuals (mean age, 34 years; females, 64%) from varied social backgrounds who met the inclusion criteria. It was conducted in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), from June to December 2019. Data were obtained from the participants using a pretested, validated self-administered questionnaire. Results: Of the participants, 78.0% completed a bachelor's degree or higher. The majority (71.7%) had an average level of knowledge regarding wound care. Most of the participants sought medical information from nonmedical resources-from social media (42.8%) and from relatives and friends (40.6%). Moreover, most of them (73.3%) used home remedies, 77.1% Vaseline, 71% butter, 70.2% coffee beans, 71.5% toothpaste, and 83.1% Zamzam water for their wounds. Innovation: This study is the first study to address the beliefs of the Saudi nonhealth care community toward wound care. Conclusion: Our findings revealed a gap between the level of education and knowledge and beliefs of our population, which could negatively affect clinical outcomes. To address this issue, there is a need to develop an awareness program on wound care and management for patients and providers.