Assessment of the Knowledge of H. pylori Infection, Diagnosis, and Management among the General Population in the Western Region, Saudi Arabia

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most prevalent chronic bacterial infection in humans. Limited research has been conducted both internationally and locally to evaluate the general community’s collective understanding of an H. pylori infection, its diagnosis, and its management. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the level of understanding of an H. pylori infection, its diagnosis, and management among the general population residing in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional online survey method to gather data from a sample of 1,025 of the general population. Four major cities were selected for this study: Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif. The knowledge scores were classified into three categories: low, fair, and good. Results: The proportion of the population with a fair level of knowledge of H. pylori was less than 30% in all groups of the cities. A statistically significant difference was observed between regions, with a P value of 0.022. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between the respondents' degree of knowledge and age (p < 0.001), education level (p < 0.001), number of family members at home (p < 000.1), monthly income (p < 0.001), knowledge about an H. pylori infection (p < 000.1), and previous exposure to an H. pylori infection (p < 000.1). Conclusion: Most participants know about H. pylori. However, its transmission, link with stomach cancer, diagnosis, and treatment are difficult to understand. Several additional educational and policy interventions are recommended to enhance public knowledge of H. pylori. To address the identified gaps in understanding, targeted educational campaigns should be developed.