Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Preventive Behavior Regarding Toxoplasmosis among Females in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods and Materials
2.1. Study Design and Settings
2.2. Study Participants
2.3. Sample Size Calculation
2.4. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
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- Gender: female participants only.
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- Location: residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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- Consent: willingness to participate in the study.
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- Language: ability to understand and respond in the language(s) in which the survey or assessment is conducted (i.e., Arabic, English).
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- Non-residents: individuals not residing in Riyadh.
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- Males: excluding male participants, as the study is specific to females.
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- Language barriers: inability to understand survey or assessment language, which could lead to misinterpretation and inaccurate responses.
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- Incomplete surveys: participants who do not complete the survey or assessment in full.
2.5. Study Questionnaire Development
2.6. Statistical Analysis
2.7. Ethical Approval
3. Results
4. Discussion
4.1. Study Limitations
4.2. Conclusions
5. Future Research
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variables | Frequency | Percentages % | |
---|---|---|---|
Age | 18–25 | 375 | 70.4% |
26–40 | 77 | 14.4% | |
41–60 | 81 | 15.2% | |
Social status | NA | 1 | 0.2% |
Unmarried | 407 | 76.4% | |
Married | 125 | 23.5% | |
Got pregnant | NA | 1 | 0.2% |
I am not married | 407 | 76.4% | |
No | 11 | 2.1% | |
Yes | 114 | 21.4% |
Variables | Frequency | Percentages % | |
---|---|---|---|
Know about toxoplasmosis | No | 422 | 79.2% |
Yes | 111 | 20.8% | |
Know about the severity of that disease or the factors leading to toxoplasmosis | NA | 12 | 2.3% |
No | 436 | 81.8% | |
Yes | 85 | 15.9% | |
Information resources | I have never known about toxoplasmosis | 422 | 79.2% |
Awareness campaigns | 19 | 3.6% | |
Social media | 44 | 8.3% | |
The doctor | 48 | 9.0% |
Variables | Frequency | Percentages % | |
---|---|---|---|
Got toxoplasmosis? | No | 527 | 98.9% |
Yes | 6 | 1.1% | |
Infection state | I have not got toxoplasmosis | 527 | 98.9% |
Infected recently | 2 | 0.4% | |
Acute infection | 2 | 0.4% | |
Chronic infection | 2 | 0.4% | |
Consume any medications for toxoplasmosis infection? | I have not got toxoplasmosis | 527 | 98.9% |
Yes | 6 | 1.1% |
Variables | Frequency | Percentages % | |
---|---|---|---|
Keep cats as pets | Yes | 82 | 15.4% |
No | 451 | 84.6% | |
Clean cat box | Every day | 34 | 41.5% |
Every two days | 30 | 36.6% | |
More than that | 18 | 21.9% | |
Annual examination of cats | Yes | 76 | 92.7% |
No | 6 | 7.3% | |
Washing hands before eating | No | 45 | 8.4% |
Yes, with water only | 171 | 32.1% | |
Yes, with water and hand soap | 317 | 59.5% | |
Washing fruits and vegetables before eating | No | 9 | 1.7% |
Yes, with water only | 426 | 79.9% | |
Yes, with water and hand soap | 98 | 18.4% | |
Eating medium-cooked meat | Never | 386 | 72.4% |
Rarely | 92 | 17.3% | |
Sometimes | 48 | 9.0% | |
Often | 7 | 1.3% |
Variable | Group | Have You Ever Had Toxoplasmosis? | (Chi-Square Test) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes (6; 1.1%) | No (527; 98.9%) | Total (533; 100%) | Pearson Chi-Square | p-Value | ||
Age (n; %) | 18–25 | 2; 33.3% | 373; 70.8% | 375; 70.4% | 6.501 | 0.039 |
26–40 | 3; 50% | 74; 14.0% | 77; 14.4% | |||
41–60 | 1; 16.7% | 80; 15.2% | 81; 15.2% | |||
Social status (n; %) | Married | 3; 50% | 122; 23.2% | 125; 23.5% | 2.371 | 0.124 |
Unmarried | 3; 50% | 404; 76.8% | 407; 76.5% | |||
Raisaing cats (n; %) | Yes | 1; 16.7% | 81; 15.4% | 82; 15.4% | 0.008 | 0.930 |
No | 5; 83.3% | 446; 84.6% | 451; 84.6% | |||
Washing hands before eating (n; %) | No | 0; 0.0% | 45; 8.5% | 45; 8.4% | 0.568 | 0.753 |
With water only | 2; 33.3% | 169; 32.1% | 171; 32.1% | |||
With water and soap | 4; 66.7% | 313; 59.4% | 317; 59.5% | |||
Washing fruits and vegetables before eating (n; %) | No | 0; 0.0% | 9; 1.7% | 9; 1.7% | 4.081 | 0.130 |
With water only | 3; 50% | 423; 80.3% | 426; 79.9% | |||
With water and soap | 3; 50% | 95; 18.0% | 98; 18.4% | |||
Eating medium-cooked meat (n; %) | Never | 3; 50.0% | 383; 72.7% | 386; 72.7% | 11.710 | 0.008 |
Rarely | 1; 16.7% | 91; 17.3% | 92; 17.3% | |||
Sometimes | 1; 16.7% | 47; 8.9% | 48; 9.0% | |||
Often | 1; 16.7% | 6; 1.1% | 7; 1.3% |
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Aldali, J.A.; Aljehani, A.M.; Elsokkary, E.M.; Alkhamis, F.L.; Bin Khathlan, N.M.; Alhadban, H.H.; Alkhathlan, H.K. Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Preventive Behavior Regarding Toxoplasmosis among Females in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 1065. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081065
Aldali JA, Aljehani AM, Elsokkary EM, Alkhamis FL, Bin Khathlan NM, Alhadban HH, Alkhathlan HK. Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Preventive Behavior Regarding Toxoplasmosis among Females in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(8):1065. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081065
Chicago/Turabian StyleAldali, Jehad A., Ala M. Aljehani, Emadeldin M. Elsokkary, Fouz L. Alkhamis, Norah M. Bin Khathlan, Hind H. Alhadban, and Hala K. Alkhathlan. 2024. "Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Preventive Behavior Regarding Toxoplasmosis among Females in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21, no. 8: 1065. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081065