INVESTIGATING CHALLENGES IN ACHIEVING EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETES AMONG THE SAUDI POPULATION

Diabetes mellitus remains a major public health challenge globally, and Saudi Arabia is among the countries with high type 2 diabetes prevalence. Although screening initiatives exist, delayed diagnosis persists, suggesting barriers to early detection.

To identify individual, sociocultural, and healthcare-system factors associated with low uptake of early diabetes screening in Saudi Arabia.

We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of adults in Saudi Arabia (n=881) using a standardized self-administered Arabic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics and responses. Chi-square tests examined associations between sociodemographic variables and awareness/screening behaviors, and multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of screening participation.

Participants were predominantly female (61.3%), with the largest age groups 18-24 and 35-44 years (26.8% each); 71.7% reported no health insurance. While 86.7% reported awareness of early diabetes symptoms, 53.1% had never monitored blood glucose and only 17.5% reported screening participation. Barrier analysis was based on respondents who completed the barrier items (n=753); the most commonly reported barriers were absence of symptoms (66.3%), lack of time (24.3%), and fear of diagnosis (18.5%). In regression analysis, screening participation was independently associated with male gender (OR=1.47, p=0.037), awareness of symptoms (OR=2.61, p<0.001), family history of diabetes (OR=1.54, p=0.031), health insurance (OR=1.83, p=0.002), older age (≥35 years), and higher educational attainment.

Despite high symptom awareness, screening participation remains low-largely driven by the misconception that screening is unnecessary without symptoms, alongside time constraints and fear. Strengthening early detection will require culturally tailored preventive-health messaging, easier access to screening, and targeted digital interventions (e.g., risk-tailored reminders and proactive outreach), aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 priorities.