Assessment of Endometriosis Knowledge and Its Determinants Among Nurses in Al-Jouf Region, Saudi Arabia
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Endometriosis, a chronic and debilitating gynecological disorder, exacts a heavy clinical and socioeconomic toll on women's lives. Despite its prevalence, its timely diagnosis and effective management are hindered by pervasive knowledge gaps among frontline nursing professionals, and these are especially pronounced in under-researched regions such as Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia. <b>Aim</b>: Guided by the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice model, this study aimed to assess the level of endometriosis-related knowledge among nurses in the Al-Jouf region of Saudi Arabia and to identify the sociodemographic and professional determinants of knowledge levels. <b>Methods</b>: A cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical design was employed between January and July 2024, enrolling 215 nurses from a principal maternity and children's hospital and two primary healthcare centers in Sakaka. A rigorously validated, bilingual 20-item questionnaire assessing four domains (definition, risk factors, clinical manifestations, and treatment goals) was administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, and binary logistic regression to elucidate predictors of knowledge. <b>Results</b>: A concerning picture emerged: 61% of participants scored below 60% (indicative of low knowledge), with only 6% achieving high scores. Higher educational attainment proved the strongest predictor (β = 0.415, <i>p</i> < 0.001), followed by age (β = 0.232, <i>p</i> < 0.001), years of experience (β = 0.149, <i>p</i> = 0.041), and direct patient care exposure (β = 0.168, <i>p</i> = 0.021). Collectively, these factors explained 37.6% of the variance in knowledge scores, underscoring a critical deficit in endometriosis management preparedness. <b>Conclusions</b>: The stark deficiencies in endometriosis knowledge among nurses in Al-Jouf call for immediate, tailored educational and policy interventions. Strengthening clinical competencies is essential for fostering early diagnosis and improving care outcomes for women burdened by this complex condition.
Authors
- Mohamed E. H. Elzeky (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0646-8037)
- Enas Mahrous Abdelaziz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5748-6887)
- Afrah Madyan Alshammari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1481-014X)
- Nadia Bassuoni Elsharkawy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3316-7312)
- Osama Mohamed Elsayed Ramadan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9616-8590)
- Alaa Hussain Hafiz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5533-3724)
- Lareen Magdi El-Sayed Abo-Seif (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7249-9610)
- Mary Faleh Alrowily
- Sultan Muharib Alruwaili
Institutions
- Suez Canal University (EG)
- King Abdulaziz University (SA)
- Jouf University (SA)
- Maternity and Children's Hospital (SA)
- Ministry of Health (MM)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Healthcare
- Published
- 2025-06-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121386
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Endometriosis Research and Treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.70