Abstract

Rheumatic fever (RF) is an autoimmune inflammatory process that develops as a sequela of untreated group A streptococcal pharyngitis and primarily affects children. It can lead to rheumatic heart disease (RHD), a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Awareness and preventive measures are crucial to mitigate its impact, particularly in low-resource settings. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward RF and RHD among parents living in Al-Baha Region. And to determine its association with other different sociodemographic variables. This was a cross-sectional study included 415 parents in Al-Baha region, Saudi Arabia. using a self-administered questionnaire distributed online. Of the total 415 participants, more than half were females 223 (53.7%), and 149 (35.9%) participants aged between 45 and 55 years. The knowledge regarding RF was classified as good 20 (4.8%), fair 104 (25.1%), and bad 291 (70.1%). The attitude towards RF showed that about half of the participants 206 (49.7%) had a negative attitude, 169 (40.7%) natural and 40 (9.6%) positive attitudes. While the total practice level was classified as Bad 15 (3.6%), Fair 113 (27.2%) and Good 287 (69.2%), females were more likely than males to exhibit good practices (p = 0.001). The study concluded that knowledge about RF and RHD among parents in the Al Baha region, Saudi Arabia, is very poor. Most participants lacked sufficient understanding of the definition of RF, its relationship with bacterial sore throats, prophylactic treatments, and the vulnerable age group. Attitudes towards RF were relatively negative. Therefore, healthcare authorities and providers should raise awareness and create educational programs to improve public understanding of RF and RHD, aiding in their prevention and control in the Al Baha region.

Keywords:

Rheumatic fever, Rheumatic Heart Disease, AL-Baha, Attitude, Knowledge, and Practice.

Date received: 23 July 2024; accepted: 28 September 2024

PMID:
39425650