Assessing Knowledge and Awareness of Scoliosis Among Adults in the Najran Region, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
- 1Department of Surgery, Najran University, Najran, SAU.
Abstract
Background
Scoliosis is a three-dimensional spinal deformity that may affect posture, function, and, in severe cases, cardiopulmonary function. Community knowledge may contribute to early recognition, appropriate clinical assessment, and timely referral. This study aimed to describe item-level knowledge and awareness of scoliosis among adults recruited in the Najran region and to explore associations between the investigator-defined knowledge score and selected measured participant characteristics.Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults recruited in the Najran region, Saudi Arabia, using a self-administered online questionnaire. Non-probability convenience sampling was used. Of 508 collected responses, 39 respondents who reported not residing in the Najran region were excluded in accordance with the eligibility criteria, resulting in a final analytic sample of 469 participants. The investigator-developed questionnaire was reviewed by a consultant pediatric orthopedic surgeon and pilot-tested among 20 individuals who were not included in the final analysis. An investigator-defined knowledge score was calculated, and a score of >50% (≥10/18 points) was operationally classified as good knowledge.Results
A total of 469 eligible participants were analyzed. Most participants had a university education (69.7%), and 13.2% reported a family history of scoliosis. Correct identification of scoliosis as a deviation of the spine from its normal position was reported by 77.8% of participants, while 67.0% identified radiographic imaging as a diagnostic method. The investigator-defined knowledge score had a median of 8 (IQR, 5-11), with observed scores ranging from 0 to 17. Using the exploratory >50% cutoff (≥10/18 points), 179 participants (38.2%) were categorized as having good knowledge and 290 (61.8%) as having poor knowledge. No statistically significant associations were detected between knowledge category and the measured participant characteristics.Conclusions
Among the surveyed participants, important item-level gaps in knowledge and awareness of scoliosis were identified. The investigator-defined composite knowledge classification should be interpreted cautiously because the questionnaire and scoring threshold were not formally validated. The findings identify potential targets for educational initiatives, while future studies using validated instruments and more representative sampling methods are needed to confirm these findings.
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BibTeX
@article{kardm2026assessing,
title = {{Assessing Knowledge and Awareness of Scoliosis Among Adults in the Najran Region, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.}},
author = {Saleh Kardm and Ammar M Alrashah and Alhussain Algodrah and Khaled Al Agail and Abdullah Alqabqab and Abdullah Al-Sharif and Ali Alharshan and Abdullah Asiri and Mohammed Al-Hareth and Dhafer Alkhudhrah},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.116794},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921366},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Assessing Knowledge and Awareness of Scoliosis Among Adults in the Najran Region, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
AU - Saleh Kardm
AU - Ammar M Alrashah
AU - Alhussain Algodrah
AU - Khaled Al Agail
AU - Abdullah Alqabqab
AU - Abdullah Al-Sharif
AU - Ali Alharshan
AU - Abdullah Asiri
AU - Mohammed Al-Hareth
AU - Dhafer Alkhudhrah
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/23
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.116794
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921366
AB - Background Scoliosis is a three-dimensional spinal deformity that may affect posture, function, and, in severe cases, cardiopulmonary function. Community knowledge may contribute to early recognition, appropriate clinical assessment, and timely referral. This study aimed to describe item-level knowledge and awareness of scoliosis among adults recruited in the Najran region and to explore associations between the investigator-defined knowledge score and selected measured participant characteristics.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults recruited in the Najran region, Saudi Arabia, using a self-administered online questionnaire. Non-probability convenience sampling was used. Of 508 collected responses, 39 respondents who reported not residing in the Najran region were excluded in accordance with the eligibility criteria, resulting in a final analytic sample of 469 participants. The investigator-developed questionnaire was reviewed by a consultant pediatric orthopedic surgeon and pilot-tested among 20 individuals who were not included in the final analysis. An investigator-defined knowledge score was calculated, and a score of >50% (≥10/18 points) was operationally classified as good knowledge.Results A total of 469 eligible participants were analyzed. Most participants had a university education (69.7%), and 13.2% reported a family history of scoliosis. Correct identification of scoliosis as a deviation of the spine from its normal position was reported by 77.8% of participants, while 67.0% identified radiographic imaging as a diagnostic method. The investigator-defined knowledge score had a median of 8 (IQR, 5-11), with observed scores ranging from 0 to 17. Using the exploratory >50% cutoff (≥10/18 points), 179 participants (38.2%) were categorized as having good knowledge and 290 (61.8%) as having poor knowledge. No statistically significant associations were detected between knowledge category and the measured participant characteristics.Conclusions Among the surveyed participants, important item-level gaps in knowledge and awareness of scoliosis were identified. The investigator-defined composite knowledge classification should be interpreted cautiously because the questionnaire and scoring threshold were not formally validated. The findings identify potential targets for educational initiatives, while future studies using validated instruments and more representative sampling methods are needed to confirm these findings.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -