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Cardiovascular Risk Awareness Among Adults in the Northern Border Region of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Rehab Abdullah Alanazi1, Abir Shiban Alenezi2, Raghad Jamal Aldhafeeri2

  • 1Family and Community Department, Faculty of Medicine, Northern Border University, Arar 91431, Saudi Arabia.

Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 27, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk awareness is low in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Border Region, even among those with hypertension (HTN) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Targeted communication strategies are needed to improve understanding of CVD risks.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading global cause of death.
  • Individuals with hypertension (HTN) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) face elevated CVD risks.
  • Suboptimal awareness of cardiovascular risk persists in the general population and high-risk groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk awareness among adults in Saudi Arabia's Northern Border Region.
  • To identify factors associated with CVD risk awareness, with a focus on individuals with HTN and/or T2DM.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey of 458 adults (aged 18-50) in the Northern Border Region, Saudi Arabia.
  • An anonymous online questionnaire assessed knowledge of HTN, T2DM, and CVD risk awareness.
  • Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and multivariable regression.

Main Results:

  • Overall knowledge was moderate (56.4%), with higher scores for HTN (73.2%) and T2DM (68.8%) knowledge, but low CVD risk awareness (30.8%).
  • Fewer than half correctly answered key CVD items, especially regarding asymptomatic progression and HDL cholesterol.
  • Higher education, family history of cardiometabolic disease, and presence of HTN/T2DM predicted greater CVD risk awareness.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiovascular disease risk awareness is inadequate in the Northern Border Region, including among those with HTN and T2DM.
  • A significant gap exists between disease-specific knowledge and overall CVD risk awareness.
  • Targeted risk communication strategies in primary care are essential, especially for less educated individuals and those without a family history.
Abstract

Keywords:
Saudi Arabiacardiovascular riskdyslipidemiaheart diseasehypertensionknowledgerisk factorstype 2 diabetes

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